MARINA - Superstar - Single [Review]

"Superstar" is MARINA (formerly known professionally as Marina and the Diamonds)'s second single from her upcoming fourth studio album (which is due to drop on April 26, 2019) titled LOVE + FEAR (check out MARINA's beautiful album trailer here). The single is the follow-up single to the album's lead single "Handmade Heaven" (which I reviewed here), and I think that if I had to choose which one that I prefer, I would choose "Handmade Heaven" mainly because I find the lyrics to be more meaningful, but "Superstar" is very catchy and features a memorable electronic drop when it brings in its "oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh..." hook. "Superstar" starts off gently with what sounds like layered piano and keyboard, but it picks up in strength as it progresses and is overall a very upbeat electropop song with a bit of an urban hip-hop beat. It's somewhat new territory for MARINA, as it is definitely one of the most radio-friendly songs that she has released to date, but despite what I have seen some fans say, it is definitely not the first time that MARINA has experimented with electronic music. Nearly all of Electra Heart is electropop through and through, and the song "Electra Heart" (technically a collaboration with DJ BetaTraxx) is about the most electronic that MARINA has ever ventured, as it's definitely even more electronic in nature than "Superstar" is. I don't hate "Superstar" by any means (especially since, as I said, it's really quite catchy melodically and rhythmically), but I also quite honestly find it to be one of the weakest tracks from MARINA's catalogue thus far. One of the primary reasons why I feel that way is for a personal reason, which is that since I am currently single and have been for a significant amount of time, I can't relate to the song's lyrics, which speak to a lover and address them as heroic: "Baby, look at me, you're my superstar. When I'm afraid, when the world's gone dark, come and save my day; you're my superstar." Singing about being in love so directly is definitely relatively new territory for MARINA, as she has, in the past, tended to sing more about themes like heartbreak and independence, and I love FROOT (her third studio album released in 2015) as much as I do in part because of how I was able to relate to its themes of independence and finding comfort in one's own company. "Superstar" feels like a relatively cliché love song in comparison to what I am used to hearing from MARINA, but I might feel differently once I hear the song as part of its larger work when the album drops. Only time will tell, but I am definitely looking forward to LOVE + FEAR, especially since we diamonds have waited four years for it!