1 October 2019
Devon Williams
3.9/5 stars
As a remake of “Charlie’s Angels” is set to release in two months a new song and music video was released on Sept. 13 from the soundtrack, “Don’t Call Me Angel,” featuring Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey. The single of the same name has 68 million views and it is understandable why.
When I first listened to this song, I was amazed by the way each artist was able to bring their individualized styles together and how the three women were able to create a song that has so much girl power within the message of the lyrics.
Grande added in her own style and voice. If you have ever listened to any of Grande’s other songs such as “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” or “Thank U, Next,” her part of the new single sounds similar. However, “Don’t Call Me Angel” is a bit repetitive as she sings the lyric “don’t call me angel” what feels like a thousand times. This song seems to be more Grande-dominated: Cyrus and Del Rey only sing a few choruses. If Lana Del Rey and Miley Cyrus were to have more presence in the song, I think it would have made the song a bit more diverse than all other pop songs today.
Miley strays away from the pop sound by bringing her own badass sound into the production, she opts for more of a rap style but keeps the overall song pop. Her part in the song reminds me of her song “Wrecking Ball.”
Once Lana Del Rey starts to sing, it is her seductive and calming voice that makes the decision for some that it is the best part of the song. I would have to agree. Lana Del Rey has such a different voice than many other artists in the industry, and she adds an element of difference from other pop songs.
Overall, this girl power trio creates a beautiful harmony with a bit of repetition in the lyrics. Personally, for a song to be a hit for me, it must allow for some dancing or singing along. Unfortunately, this song does not allow for that. If this song would have been a little more like Grande’s songs in the past, it would have been a better song to dance or sing along to
The true beauty of this song is how stunning the music video is. Directed by Hannah Lux Davis, it starts with the girls getting ready to take on a mission. It first shows Miley beating up a man in the boxing gym, then the camera switches to Grande dancing and singing in a hallway and Del Rey testing weapons. As dailycampus.com describes it, the technical elements of the video all match up. The lighting while Grande sings is very light and dreamy but when it comes to Miley, the light is darker, gloomy and the right setting for her role. As Lana sings, the light is low and warm, the perfect fit for her vocals.
Although I could nitpick how Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey did not get as much time on the song as Grande, the inability to dance or sing along or how repetitive the song is, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey have given the world a great girl-power soundtrack, and the message behind the words is by far the most important element of this song.