Sophie Powers Transforms Self-Deprecation into Empowerment in “Better on Mute” (ft. Chandler Leighton)

Hyperpop artist Sophie Powers puts a twist on conventionally confident pop girl anthems in her new self-deprecating single, “Better on Mute (ft. Chandler Leighton).” Instead of arguing with her haters, she takes away their power by proudly proclaiming her own insecurities.

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Stream: “Better on Mute” – Sophie Powers ft. Chandler Leighton

Sophie Powers’ growing fanbase has come to expect buzzy synth beats and driving bass lines from her anthemic hyperpop songs.

With “Better on Mute (ft. Chandler Leighton),” Powers does just about all but disappoint those expectations. The track’s sizzling combativeness encapsulates the singer’s oxymoronic message of confident self-deprecation, doubled down on in the face of criticism.

Better On Mute - Sophie Powers ft. Chandler Leighton — Better On Mute – Sophie Powers ft. Chandler Leighton

In accordance with Sophie Powers’ name, the artist seems to understand the power that lies in her soft, layered vocals, especially when combined with electronic aggression. “You don’t gotta tell me I’m cringe and an egocentric b****, I’ll do it myself,” speak the doubled vocals over the intense chorus beat. There is something laid back in Powers’ aggression. Rather than screaming the lines, she delivers them in a subdued manner, complementing her snarky, eye-roll of an attitude.

“I rip myself down enough for the both of us,” serves as a catchy thesis statement to the lyrics’ overall intent. Why listen to hate from others when you’re already your own worst critic? It is a clever twist on the typical confident pop girl anthem we are used to hearing from mainstream pop artists.

Instead of proving her haters wrong through a series of positive, self-love induced manifestations, she decides to beat them to the punch by declaring her own insecurities. Though the concept sounds a bit depressing at first, it actually creates a sense of confidence within the song and the listener. In one fell swoop, Powers takes the power away from her critics and effectively regains control over her own insecurities.

In case anyone needed an excuse to keep on listening until the end of the song, Chandler Leighton takes over lead vocals for a climactic moment in the bridge. “Say you wanna be a star, I don’t think you’re built for this life,” she sings in character as a negative critic and/or Powers’ own pessimistic thoughts.

The tongue-in-cheek humor of the artists shines through in these lines, while building up energy for one last deliciously glitchy, hyper-pop chorus. As a result, the chorus’ bold first line “You don’t gotta tell me I’m trash,” hits even harder than before.

After the song ends, listeners might find themselves wondering whether Sophie Powers let her intrusive thoughts win or whether she was able to rise above her own self-doubt.

In this sense, there is something satisfyingly meta and self-aware about the existence of the song itself. It’s like an unspoken reminder that, even though Powers has these intrusive thoughts about herself, she keeps marching through life with her head up, releasing music for the world to hear in spite of her doubts. Therefore, as a listener of the song, you should too.

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