Must We Aaron Dessner-ify Every Pop Star?

Happy two years to C,XOXO, the feverish, fearless record that had me hooked from those first few wonky synths of “I LUV IT.”

Camila Cabello wrote the sonic equivalent of a humid July night going out with your girlies, when the city air feels electric and anything’s possible from the hours of 10pm to 3am. Her producers, El Guincho and Jasper Harris, cooked up exhilarating beats and zany motifs I would gleefully inject into my veins if that were a possible procedure. Two years later, I still treasure every delicious quirk on this album from the NSFW balladry of “June Gloom” to the incongruous Pitbull sample in “BOAT” to the random Camila glazing interlude from BLP Kosher.

Basically, I luv it I luv it I luv it I luv it. Spoiler alert: No one else did. (Well, except The New York Times. Shoutout Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli.)

I am acutely aware that Camila isn’t the most likeable public figure for reasons ranging from very deserved to very trivial. As if her tainted image wasn’t threatening enough on its own, this album was practically destined to flop after a series of unfortunate mid-rollout events: She collaborated with Drake at the height of his Kendrick beef PR nightmare, Charli XCX egged on trolls who declared “I Luv It” a BRAT ripoff, and the universally adored Sabrina Carpenter (allegedly) dissed her in Short n’ Sweet tracks like “Taste.”

A perfect storm, you might say.

Realistically, if Tinashe, Rosalía, or Charli had released this body of work, critics and music fans would’ve declared it visionary. Avant-garde. Album of the year. But alas, the “Havana” singer released it, and that was a barrier to entry for many people. Instead of the triumphant escape from the Khia Asylum Camila probably envisioned, she was forced to renew her lease at the metaphorical pop flop dungeon.

As a result of C,XOXO not resonating like she’d hoped, Camila appears to be switching gears. Last week, she posted photos of herself recording music with Aaron Dessner.

The sigh I let out was heard across all five boroughs of New York City.

Whether you prefer the term “Aaron Dessner-ification” or “folklore-ification,” there’s no denying that 2020s pop has suffered a highly contagious case of Taylor Swift Hand-Me-Down Syndrome. Ever since the “Opalite” singer shifted the fucking tectonic plates with her covid depression bangers, everyone in her musical family tree decided to steal her folklore secret sauce, Mr. Dessner.

It brings me no joy to report that Ed Sheeran, Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan, and now Camila have joined forces with the producer in this post-folklore era. And while Sabrina Carpenter hasn’t recorded in Long Pond Studios yet—that we know of—I wouldn’t be surprised if she posts those teaser polaroids within the next six months. Heck, even Taylor herself pumped out two more folklores with Aaron: evermore and Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.

Frankly, I am not interested in hearing a fifteenth folklore. Are you??

The 2020 record was such a thrill precisely because it was a radical detour. Taylor hadn’t wandered into goth-folk, fairytale territory before. No A-list pop star had enlisted the National musician to produce their album before. It felt innovative and surprising. It moved pop somewhere new.

The people yearn for fresh, bold sounds… always have, always will.

Obviously, C,XOXO isn’t the only recent example of this. Olivia Rodrigo and Addison Rae are also savvy enough to handpick producers who amplify their distinct voices and help define them as individual artists. Dan Nigro pushes Olivia to sharpen her lyrics and hone her rock and new wave instincts, and Luka Kloser and Elvira Anderfjärd masterfully craft the sonic manic pixie dream world to match Addison’s aura.

Making a Temu folklore is easy. Anyone with a thesaurus, a whisper register, and Aaron’s phone number can get the job done. Sure, you might enjoy some commercial success, but you’re not creating culture. And watch out, because Taylor’s been known to demand credits when songs bear even a hint of resemblance…

What’s actually difficult is designing a musical era that’s authentic to you. A record that has your pop peers scrambling to make their own versions of it.

In a world of folklore imitators, be a Camila. Be an Olivia. Be an Addison.

And if you wrote off C,XOXO two years ago, please do yourself a favor and give that album a listen. You won’t be disappointed.