G-G-G “GIRLS” IS JUSTUS BENNETTS’ NEW, GIDDY GRANDMA GAG

TikTok has become a rich seedbed of the pop-punk revival. Among its youthful outcropping is Justus Bennetts who, for having made his music debut only a year ago, has amassed a killer following on the video-making app. And like so many of his peers, the 21 year-old is making genre-melding music; Bennetts’ sonic landscape blends pop-punk with indie and rap influence. A true man of the moment, Bennett took to the internet for some guidance about his latest single, “Girls” (June 10th). “do i drop this song?” he asked followers in April. I guess the answer was ‘yes.’

Since 2021, Bennetts has released a number of singles, including a collaboration with viral “abcdefu” teen hitmaker GAYLE. On June 10th, Bennetts released another single––the upbeat “Girls.” “Girls” is wildly fun, and perhaps a misleading nomer to the pure audio listener. While the lyrics on “Girls” don’t stray away from your classic pop ode to the female gender, Bennetts’ accompanying music video for the track paints a very different picture. Ridden with grandmas out to get the young artist, the “Girls” music video adds that much-needed, comical flare to an otherwise inside-the-lines lyrical outfit. 

On “Girls,” Justus Bennetts leans into the youthfulness that so characterizes his genre of music, and refuses to take himself too seriously––always an admirable quality for someone still in the sophomoric throes of their career. But Bennetts has shown another side of himself before. Knowing what it’s like to be alone, Bennetts draws on the uncertainty and insecurity of adolescence. His slow-burning single “Nightstand”, R&B-influenced “Bad Day,” and nostalgic alt-pop cut “Cool Kids” are aware of another side of being young––a side wholly relatable, but not always comfortable, mainstream, or easy to deal with. “Girls” offers an upbeat antidote to these earlier singles seen in 2021, proving to TikTok and to the rest of his generation that Bennetts can do more than just make videos, and he’s here to stay. 

Check out more from Justus Bennetts on Spotify below, and follow him on Instagram,  TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube!