Emo never dies, it just hibernates. The 2018 emo music resurgence is proof of this, ushering in a possible fourth wave of emo. Now, there’s emo in our pop music as artists who grew up during the third wave in the 2000s take inspiration from their favorite bands. My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Bright Eyes, and more have shaped elements in the current landscape of pop. Here are five artists who have tapped their emo roots to create better pop music.
Halsey
Halsey might generally be considered a pop artist, but her emo roots run deep. In her own words, she was “ritualistically attending Warped Tour and lurking LiveJournal.” She’s included those influences in her work, both musically and thematically. For example, when she performed her single “Ego” at the 2024 VMAs, the set design emulated a garage where Halsey and her band were just jamming out. It’s stylistic decisions like that which show off Halsey’s enduring love of the emo scene.
Demi Lovato
In 2022, Demi Lovato released her eighth album Holy Fvck, which accumulated some backlash for its allegedly suggestive imagery. However, the album marked Lovato returning to her emo roots after time spent firmly entrenched in pop music. Speaking with CBS Mornings in 2023, she explained her reasoning for looking back at the music that shaped her.
“I grew up listening to this music and so I wanted to go back to my roots,” she said. “Whether you’re going through depression of having fun with your friends, there’s so many emotions in this music. I think this generation is hungry for it.”
PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress gained momentum for her lo-fi bedroom pop and relatable yet melancholy lyrics. It’s no surprise, then, that she grew up listening to emo music. The stripped-bare emotions of emo are ever-present in PinkPantheress’ work, just with a different aesthetic. Speaking with The Guardian in 2021, she revealed that she began her career by posting My Chemical Romance cover songs online. She also took style tips from Hayley Williams of Paramore.
“I had jeggings on and cut a hole in the knee to look more emo,” she said when describing her live debut at a high school gathering (another nod to Paramore). “I’m a really nervous performer now, but I remember not caring about who was watching and how many people … Hopefully, I’ll get back to that point.”
Willow
Willow began with pretty straightforward pop music, releasing songs like “Whip My Hair” at just eleven years old, but she was always rooted in rock throughout her childhood. Her mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, was in the 2000s metal band Wicked Wisdom, after all. That, and Willow gravitated to emo music in high school. She listened to bands like My Chemical Romance and Paramore growing up, but didn’t limit herself to just emo. System of a Down was a big influence as well.
However, Willow often garnered criticism and even downright hate for being a Black woman interested in hardcore rock and emo. Still, she went on to collaborate with emo legends Travis Barker and Avril Lavigne, giving haters the ultimate middle finger.
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers is a favorite among heartbroken bisexuals, and for good reason. She’s managed to combine elements from singer-songwriter folk, pop, and emo to create a style that resonates with so many people. It’s more accurate to describe Bridgers as emo-folk, which is where she goes on her 2020 album Punisher. Combine that with collaborations with emo pioneer Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, and Phoebe Bridgers is continually pushing the envelope of contemporary emo music.
Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Amazon Music
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