Brit-pop darling Lily Allen is back with her first single in three years, “Hard Out Here.” The accompanying video arrived on YouTube just two days ago and it’s already exceeded two million views. Talk of diamond chains, plastic faces and Allen’s overall disgust for today’s twerk culture dominate—lyrically and visually—but the savvy satire is masked in the song’s catchy, pop sensibility. “Don’t need to shake my ass for you because I’ve got a brain,” she snaps over a building electronic beat. The chorus drives the feminist theme home by repeating, “It’s hard out here for a bitch.” Lately, celebrity culture critiques in the form of music are stirring up mass controversy (think Lorde’s “Royals”)—and by the look of Allen’s sly smirk, it’s exactly what she wants.
There’s no definitive answer yet on whether “Hard Out Here” is the first single off an upcoming album or just a lone track. It’s fine though; this video will give both the trash talkers and Lily lovers enough to gab about.
Review by Melissa D’Agnese. Follow her on Twitter at @emdeee.
