Will Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” Be 2014′s Song Of The Summer?
Slip on your shades, grab a glass of lemonade and check back each weekday over the next week and a half as we present you each Song Of The Summer contender.
The title for Song of the Summer may be an easy win for this next artist, who has TWO major songs ruling the radio airwaves and the Billboard charts! Iggy Azalea has been working overtime for the past few weeks promoting her feature on Ariana Grande‘s “Problem” (read our SOS assessment on that one here) and, of course, her own fiery single “Fancy.”
Who would have ever predicted this Australian import would soon become the biggest pop star of 2014? Virtually a nobody just three years ago, Iggy Azalea jumped on our radar with her ultra-raunchy mixtape Ignorant Art. Yet after moniker confusions with a certain other female rapper, a questionable Southern-flavored drawl and bodacious model-like figure, we never expected for her to last this long. But since the start of 2014 she has proven all of us wrong!
Ever since the release of her mixtape, Azalea has transitioned to a poppier sound with songs like “Murda Bizness,” “Work” and “Bounce,” but her latest effort off her debut studio album The New Classic is the one that has everyone talking.
“Fancy,” featuring Charli XCX, is a super-sassy banger that has been utterly inescapable – from Twitter memes, endless award show performances and hilarious lip-sync sessions. The song (released in February) is produced by The Invisible Men, a London-based trio known for their work with Jessie J and Sugababes. The song immediately commands your attention, with the femcee opening with this self-assertive line: “First thing’s first, I’m the realest!”, which is followed by 1980’s hip hop-inspired drums and choppy synths.
The song’s debut was literally an explosion, as it crashed through major music charts worldwide. “Fancy” has also been sitting pretty at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the past two weeks! This breakout single has even placed Azalea in the same space as The Beatles, as she recently became the first act since the the Fab Fourto have her first two charting singles at the #1 and #2 spots on the Hot 100 concurrently. According to Nielsen BDS, “Fancy” has also been streamed 14 million times in the United States alone.
The finger-popping cut also boasts an underlying tone of girl power that should have fans of both artists feeling confident all summer along, thanks to its sex appeal and in-your-face attitude. But the major highlight of this SOS contender is the music video itself, which draws inspiration from the classic 1995 film Clueless (it was even shot in the same high school!). The visual, lensed by Director X, take the song to a major level as the two artists portray rebellious Beverly Hills bad girls that everyone secretly wants to be friends with.
Azalea’s braggadocio raps have enough swagger to keep the hip hop heads nodding, while Charli’s vocals broaden the song’s appeal enough to reel in the pop and indie-cool kids. This winning combination is reminiscent of Gwen Stefani‘s 2005 cheerleader-inspired single “Hollaback Girl,” another jam famous for its Don’t Give A Fuck attitude.
Capping this all off is the fact that Iggy has now made history as the first female rapper to top the Billboard Hot 100 in over a decade. Forbes even controversially declaring her the ruler of Hip-Hop. (What is a Nicki Minaj…?)
With both Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX continuously grabbing mainstream attention, and “Fancy” refusing to give up its #1 chart position, we say the song has a huge change of taking over this summer! What do you think?
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