Every once in a while, an artist releases an album that is entirely ahead of its time, and MARINA’s Electra Heart is one of those albums. Originally released in 2012, Electra Heart is a concept album that talks about heartbreak and what that can do to a woman specifically, but also the embodiment of American female tropes or cliches. The record has four main archetypes: these are the housewife, the beauty queen, the homewrecker, and the idle teen. You can find each of these tropes/cliches in the songs on the album, and MARINA released a slew of videos to accompany the majority of the album and even some B-Sides. The series of videos was titled ELECTRA HEART: THE ARCHETYPES, as it should be, of course. Oh, and who could forget Electra Heart’s Tumblr account? Alright, that’s enough lore for now. It’s time to dive into these Archetypes one by one!
The Housewife
MARINA often refers to The Housewife archetype as “Su-Barbie-a.” The Housewife takes on a very 1950s vibe with her persona. And the photos of Electra Heart in her Housewife era are all breathtaking, but she always kind of looks like she’s about to k*ll someone. Which MARINA said was intentional, it was to comment on the resentment women carried towards men during this time.
The Housewife Songs: ‘Lies,’ ‘Su-Barbie-a,’ and ‘Valley of the Dolls.’
The Beauty Queen
The Beauty Queen is often nicknamed ‘Primadonna,’ after the iconic track on Electra Heart. But it’s also because that’s exactly what she is, a Primadonna. It’s all about women who are trying to validate themselves without validation from other people. It’s also facing the things that you hate in others to an extent as well. Because the things we hate in others are often things we have within ourselves.
The Beauty Queen songs: ‘Primadonna,’ ‘State of Dreaming,’ and ‘Fear and Loathing’
The Homewrecker
Most of us know what The Homewrecker Archetype is without us having to elaborate further. But a homewrecker is a term used to describe someone who “ruins” an established family by dating one of the people in the marriage. This Archetype was one MARINA based on people who always play the victim. She decided she wanted to make that person, but a version that’s “slayer than the slayed.” This persona is also where we learn why Electra Heart wears that classic heart on the cheek. It’s make sure she “never tastes defeat,” aka gets her heart broken. These are the songs you blast when you need an ego boost or are already centered on that “main character” energy.
The Homewrecker Songs: ‘Homewrecker,’ ‘Power & Control,’ ‘How To Be A Heartbreaker,’ ‘E.V.O.L.’
The Idle Teen
Ah, The Idle Teen Archetype, as many know her: The Teen Idle. This archetype was inspired by a darker story that we’re going to save for another time, but it led to some of our favorite tracks on the record. One of the more notable details about this archetype is that when it’s portrayed in visual form, she doesn’t have her heart on her cheek. The heart on the cheek is the classic Electra Heart touch, so this suggests the Teen Idle is a precursor to her becoming Electra Heart.
The Idle Teen songs: ‘Teen Idle,’ ‘Bubblegum B*tch,’ ‘Radioactive’
If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that MARINA’s Electra Heart is a timeless pop masterpiece. And for an album so ahead of its time, it’s amazing to see it getting all the credit it deserves as time goes by. And one thing we know for sure is we’ll always put this record on when we need an ego boost or the ultimate vibe. What are your favorite songs from Electra Heart? Let us know in the comments below or you can let us know on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!
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