Emo Girl

2022 single by Machine Gun Kelly, featuring Willow

"Emo Girl"

Single by Machine Gun Kelly, featuring Willow
from the album  Mainstream Sellout
Released| February 4, 2022 (2022-02-04)
Genre| Pop-punk[1][2]
Length| 2:39
Label|

* Bad Boy
* Interscope

Songwriter(s)| Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker, Willow Smith, Brandon Allen, Nick Long, Stephen Basil
Producer(s)| Travis Barker
Machine Gun Kelly singles chronology
| "Thought It Was"
(2022)  | "Emo Girl"
(2022)  | "Ay!"
(2022)

|
|

Willow singles chronology
| "Gaslight"
(2021)  | "Emo Girl"
(2022)  | "Purge"
(2022)

|
|

Music video
"Emo Girl" on YouTube

"Emo Girl" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by Machine Gun Kelly, featuring Willow. Produced by Travis Barker, the song was released on February 4, 2022, as the second single off of Kelly's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout, following "Papercuts".

## Background

[edit]

In 2021, Machine Gun Kelly had reported that he had worked on a collaboration with Willow Smith; at the time, the song had the working title of "Emo Prom".[3] The song was first previewed on the January 30, 2022, on Kelly's TikTok account, by the title "Cherry Red Lipstick".[3] By February 4, the clip had amassed 24 million views.[4] The final version of the song, now titled "Emo Girl", was released on February 4, just after Kelly had announced the song's respective album had been retitled from Born with Horns to Mainstream Sellout.[4] The song features drumming, production, and a co-writing credit from Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, who had previously collaborated with Kelly on his 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall.[5] Barker had also previously collaborated on Willow's 2021 album Lately I Feel Everything.[5]

## Composition and themes

[edit]

The song's sound was described as pop punk by multiple publications,[1][2] being compared to the work of Blink-182, New Found Glory, and Bowling for Soup.[6][7] As such, many also noted that it sounded like it could have been released in 2000's rock music scene.[6][7] The track opens with a soundbite of Kelly's fiancé Megan Fox stating that she is a god, followed immediately by a "pop punk guitar riff".[5][8] The soundbite comes from the 2009 film Jennifer's Body.[9] The song then moves into lyrics that were described by Loudwire as a "laundry list of emo tropes" and as a mix between Blink 182's "The Rock Show" and Type O Negative's "Black No. 1".[10] The song even references Blink-182 lyrically, with Willow singing about "bleeding on your Blink tee".[9] Rolling Stone described the song musically as a mix between Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" and Good Charlotte's "Riot Girl".[11]

## Reception

[edit]

Billboard praised the song as being a good example of how Machine Gun Kelly and Willow had successfully rebranded themselves as part of the 2020s pop punk revival, stating that the song "functions as a summit of artists hoisting up their rock cred in joyful unison".[8] NME called it a stand out song on Mainstream Sellout, praising Baker and Smith's chemistry, saying they bounce off each other.[12] Clash said it has bucketloads of charm.[13] Rolling Stone called it a "gleefully derivative" song that shows that "when Kelly reins in his yelp tiks, the buzzsaw bubblegum sticks".[11] Other publications were more critical about the song's lack of originality. Loudwire found the lyrics to "pander[ing] to scenesters",[14] while The Daily Californian complained of its "vapid lyricism and repetitive chorus."[15] Wall of Sound felt that despite its "highly infectious melody", the song was ultimately annoying.[16] BrooklynVegan called it "a thoughtless, generic song that even a C-list pop punk band would've left on the cutting room floor in the mid 2000s."[17] Far Out Magazine called it terrible but admitted that it is still catchy.[18] Pitchfork felt that it is too "serious to laugh at itself and too absurd to take seriously."[19] Sputnikmusic called Smith the best part of the song, stating that unlike Baker she can actually sing.[20]

## Personnel

[edit]

* Machine Gun Kelly – vocals, songwriting
* Travis Barker – drums, production, songwriting
* Willow Smith – vocals, songwriting
* Brandon Allen – production, songwriting
* Nick Long – bass, songwriting
* Stephen Basil – guitars, songwriting

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Emo Girl"  | Chart (2022)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[21] | 78
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[22] | 49
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[23] | 64
Canada Rock (Billboard)[24] | 38
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[25] | 29
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[26] | 56
Global 200 (Billboard)[27] | 91
Ireland (IRMA)[28] | 71
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] | 38
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[30] | 11
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[31] | 56
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[32] | 15
UK Singles (OCC)[33] | 52
US Billboard Hot 100[34] | 77
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[35] | 21
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[36] | 9
US Rock & Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[37] | 45

### Year-end charts

[edit]

Year-end chart performance for "Emo Girl"  | Chart (2022)  | Position

|

US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[38] | 33

## Certifications

[edit]

Certifications for "Emo Girl"  Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Canada (Music Canada)[39] | Gold  | 40,000‡
United States (RIAA)[40] | Gold  | 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

[edit]

Release history for "Emo Girl"  Region  | Date  | Format  | Label  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

Various  | February 4, 2022  |

* Digital download
* streaming

* Bad Boy
* Interscope

| [41]
Italy  | Contemporary hit radio | Universal | [42]
United States  | February 15, 2022  | Alternative radio | Interscope  | [43]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Zemler, Emily (February 4, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly and Willow's 'Emo Girl' is an Early 00s Nostalgia Trip". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
2. ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly's 'Emo Girl' Is A Valentine for Sharpie-Colored Hearts". Spin.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
3. ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly teases Willow collab 'Cherry Red Lipstick'". Nme.com. January 30, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
4. ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly's new song Emo Girl featuring Willow will have you fist-pumping in your old fishnet gloves". Loudersound.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
5. ^ a b c ""Emo Girl": Machine Gun Kelly & WILLOW's Mall-Punk Salvo". Stereogum.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
6. ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly and Willow's song 'Emo Girl' will take you back to 2002". Cleveland.com. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
7. ^ a b "2004 called, and even it doesn't want Machine Gun Kelly & WILLOW's "Emo Girl" back". Brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
8. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (February 4, 2022). "First Stream: New Music From Nicki Minaj & Lil Baby, Mitski, Machine Gun Kelly and More". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
9. ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly, Willow, and Travis Barker Link Up for New Track "Emo Girl"". Complex.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
10. ^ Joe DiVita. "Machine Gun Kelly Teams With Willow Smith on New Song 'Emo Girl'". Loudwire.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
11. ^ a b Aaron, Charles (March 28, 2022). "Review: Machine Gun Kelly's 'Mainstream Sellout'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
12. ^ Shutler, Ali (March 25, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly – 'Mainstream Sellout' review: pop-punk revival rolls on". NME. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
13. ^ Swingle, Emily (March 24, 2022). "Mainstream Sellout". Clash. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
14. ^ DiVita, Joe (February 4, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly Teams With Willow Smith on New Song 'Emo Girl'". Loudwire. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
15. ^ Harvey, Lauren (March 29, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly falls flat on banal 'Mainstream Sellout'". The Daily Californian. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
16. ^ May, Tamara (March 25, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly – Mainstream Sellout (Album Review)". Wall of Sound. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
17. ^ Sacher, Aaron (March 28, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly review – pop punk's 'Mainstream Sellout' doubles down on new LP". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
18. ^ McStarkey, Mike (March 17, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly and Bring Me the Horizon team up for the genuinely terrible song 'maybe'". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
19. ^ Gordon, Arielle (April 2, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly: Mainstream Sellout Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
20. ^ L., Jesper (March 26, 2022). "Review Machine Gun Kelly - Mainstream Sellout". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
21. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 14 February 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1667\. Australian Recording Industry Association. February 14, 2022. p. 4.
22. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly & Willow – Emo Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
23. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
24. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
25. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 15. týden 2022 in the date selector. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
26. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 13. týden 2022 in the date selector. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
27. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
28. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Machine Gun Kelly". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
29. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 8, 2022" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
30. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
31. ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202213 into search. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
32. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 6". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
33. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
34. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
35. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
36. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
37. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Rock & Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
38. ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
39. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly – Emo Girl". Music Canada. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
40. ^ "American single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly – Emo Girl". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
41. ^ "emo girl (feat. Willow)". February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 - via Spotify.
42. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly feat. Willow "Emo Girl" | (Radio Date: 04/02/2022)". Radiodate.it (in Italian). Retrieved February 5, 2022.
43. ^ "Alternative Radio Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Machine Gun Kelly

Discography

Studio albums|

* Lace Up
* General Admission
* Bloom
* Hotel Diablo
* Tickets to My Downfall
* Mainstream Sellout
* Lost Americana

EPs|

* Half Naked & Almost Famous
* Binge
* Genre: Sadboy

Mixtapes|

* Black Flag

Singles|

* "Wild Boy"
* "Invincible"
* "Hold On (Shut Up)"
* "Till I Die"
* "A Little More"
* "Bad Things"
* "At My Best"
* "Trap Paris"
* "Home"
* "Rap Devil"
* "El Diablo"
* "I Think I'm Okay"
* "Bloody Valentine"
* "Concert for Aliens"
* "My Ex's Best Friend"
* "DayWalker"
* "Love Race"
* "Papercuts"
* "Thought It Was"
* "Emo Girl"
* "Ay!"
* "Maybe"
* "Make Up Sex"
* "GFY"
* "More than Life"
* "Don't Let Me Go"
* "Lonely Road"
* "Cliché"

Featured singles|

* "No More Sad Songs"
* "Too Good to Be True"
* "Sick and Tired"
* "Acting Like That"

Other songs|

* "Forget Me Too"
* "Bois Lie"

Tours and concerts|

* No Class Tour
* Mainstream Sellout Tour

Related articles|

* "Killshot"

* v
* t
* e

Willow Smith

Discography

Studio albums|

* Ardipithecus (2015)
* The 1st (2017)
* Willow (2019)
* Lately I Feel Everything (2021)
* Coping Mechanism (2022)
* Empathogen (2024)

Collaborative albums|

* The Anxiety (2020)

Singles|

* "Whip My Hair"
* "21st Century Girl"
* "Fireball"
* "Wait a Minute!"
* "Transparent Soul"
* "Meet Me at Our Spot"
* "Emo Girl"
* "Purge"
* "Maybe It's My Fault"
* "Hover Like a Goddess"
* "Symptom of Life"
* "Big Feelings"

Featured singles|

* "Psychofreak"
* "Where You Are"

Related articles|

* Will Smith
* Jada Pinkett Smith
* Jaden Smith

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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