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“I don’t do the walk of shame — I strut.” Rising pop star EMELINE is the personification of bold lettering, setting herself free and reclaiming her sexual sovereignty in her latest single “Strut.”

Born in Rhode Island and based in Los Angeles, EMELINE has captured the eyes of many since her track “cinderella’s dead” went viral in early 2022, earning her over 500 million TikTok views and a spot in the Top 25 on the US Spotify Viral 50 chart. Following up an entrance like that can be an impossible feat, which is what makes “Strut” such a sigh of relief. Co-written by EMELINE, this dance-forward pop track is effortlessly catchy, begs you to move your body, and is heralded by a voice that coils around your core.

While it’s unnerving to think that a declaration of sexual liberation is a radical act, it’s songs like “Strut” that take the bleakness of living in an antiquated society and alchemize it into something empowering to unify against. She doesn’t dilute a single drop of her venom, asking in plain language what’s so bad about getting what she wants every night?

Co-directed by Kate Zamudio and Emeline, the video itself is an exclamation of color and queerness, featuring EMELINE loving on who she pleases as bystanders look on in envy disguised as disgust. As you see their shells slowly start to melt and unveil their longing to too be free, it demonstrates a crucial point: we liberate others when we liberate ourselves. 

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for community is to release your inhibitions and live life as the loudest version of yourself, quietly giving permission for all those watching you to do the same. Outside of EMELINE’s undeniable talent as an artist and multi-instrumentalist, the most important thing she’s gifted the industry is her devotion to her self-liberation and her bravery in being honest about it. “Strut” is an incredibly important track for society’s current climate, and EMELINE is truly one to watch.

Watch the "Strut" video below: