A growing wave of prominent artists, including Charli XCX, Doechii, and Troye Sivan, are leveraging the longform platform Substack to reclaim their narratives and engage with fans on their own terms, sidestepping the often-toxic content mill of traditional social media. This shift marks a significant move by pop stars to control their public image and address complex topics beyond the confines of short-form platforms.
For years, artists like Charli XCX have advocated for pop music as an art form deserving of deep analysis. Her consistent engagement, from tweeting about loving Becky G's "Shower" in 2014 to satirizing Brat in her film The Moment, underscores her belief that pop should be debated and dissected, not just consumed.
Charli XCX's arrival on Substack in November signaled a new era for artist-fan communication. Her sprawling essay, "The Realities of Being a Pop Star," directly confronted the constant scrutiny artists face.
She wrote, “Another thing about being a pop star is that you cannot avoid the fact that some people are simply determined to prove that you are stupid.” This candidness attracted over 17,000 subscribers in just 48 hours, highlighting a hunger for deeper insights into celebrity life.
Doechii has similarly embraced Substack to articulate her unique perspective, especially on issues of identity and experience. Her inaugural post, “If You Were Writing to Black People, You Wouldn’t Have to Edit So Much,” powerfully asserted her desire to communicate authentically.
Doechii explained, “I’m tired of speaking to ‘everyone’ through my music … I want to talk only to the people who can understand me the first time.” This sentiment reflects a broader need for Black women artists to avoid constant over-explanation.
In her recent entry, “My Shower Head Is Racist,” Doechii used vivid imagery and direct language to discuss systemic racism embedded in technology, demonstrating Substack's capacity for nuanced conversations. She directly challenged assumptions, stating, “Because immediately, instinctively, I know: no Black woman was taken into account when this technology was designed.”
Adding to this trend, Troye Sivan launched his Substack in January, using it as a “mind dump” akin to how he once used Twitter. His posts range from mundane personal routines, like his shower order, to deeply personal reflections on body image.
Sivan's essay, initially titled "Fuck This Guy" before becoming "Feeling a Bit Uggo (Ugly)," was a raw response to a cosmetic doctor's critique of his appearance. He explored his complex relationship with his body, something he'd struggled with privately for years, asking rhetorically, “What good is money and modern medicine if not to fix all of these flaws that this random sicko fucko plastic surgeon told me I have in an instagram reel?”
Reclaiming Narratives in the Digital Age
This migration to Substack signifies a critical evolution in how pop stars manage their public personas. Traditional social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, once hubs for direct artist-fan interaction, have become breeding grounds for misinformation, 'hate trains,' and superficial engagement.
Artists are no longer content to merely 'provide material for other people to talk about.' Substack offers a refuge, a space where longform writing allows for context, nuance, and genuine dialogue, something increasingly rare on platforms dominated by short-form content and algorithmic noise. This isn't just about controlling the message; it's about fostering a deeper, more intellectual connection with an audience willing to engage thoughtfully.
Comparing this to past eras, celebrities once relied heavily on sanctioned interviews and carefully crafted press releases to shape their image. The internet's advent brought direct access, but also unfiltered criticism and loss of control. Substack represents a hybrid approach: direct access on the artist's terms, reminiscent of personal blogs from the early 2000s, but with the added reach of a subscription model and an established platform. It's a strategic move to bypass the fickle, often toxic, gatekeepers of online virality and connect directly with dedicated fans.
Despite the promise of deeper engagement, the Substack comment sections still reveal the persistent challenge of online discourse. Doechii, for instance, still faced comments that missed the core point of her critical analysis.
Similarly, Charli XCX's essay "The Death of Cool" also garnered critical comments that overlooked her years-long effort to spark thoughtful conversations about pop music and celebrity.
The platform isn't a complete escape from scrutiny, but it allows artists to frame their arguments robustly. As Charli XCX told A Rabbit's Foot, “I’ve always been open in interviews about my art. People just haven’t listened… or I’ve been taken out of context. Writing publicly lets me create the context.”
Zara Larsson, another outspoken pop star, noted the varying quality of these ventures, telling I-D, “Some people are amazing. I love Doechii’s. I really like Charli’s too. But some people I’m like… ‘It’s okay. Be yourself.’” This underscores that authenticity remains key; ramblings must share "a thread of truth" to cut through the noise.
Ultimately, the rise of pop stars on Substack signifies a powerful desire to reclaim authorship over their own stories and ideas. It's a move towards meaningful interaction, allowing them to speak once and be understood, fostering a community that values depth over fleeting virality.
