BRAND NEW SCENE QUEEN SINGLE: PLATFORM SHOES

Words: Sam Drake

It feels like only yesterday that Scene Queen crashed onto the alternative scene - trailing glitter and chunky riffs, paired with her bubblegum-pink outfits - and kicked down the door with what is lovingly dubbed as ‘Bimbocore’, but she’s been killing it with her own metalcore style since 2020 and continues to evolve and conquer this niche, but incredibly refreshing, subgenre. Metal’s own Barbie has been a huge, positive force in creating a safe space for women in the scene - from the women-led “twerkle pits” in her crowds to the vocal callout of the mistreatment of underaged girls at shows, in her song 18+ - and there’s no stopping this incredible force of feminist nature.

Scene Queen (real name Hannah Collins) is known for her catchy choruses backed by solid metal riffs and satisfying, energy-releasing screams, that creates an incredibly danceable genre of metal that she coined as ‘bimbocore’. With lyrics that celebrate women and open the discussion of some of the awful behaviours of men (specifically in the music business), Collins is not afraid to tackle these topics that are typically seen as taboo head-on, leaving no survivors in her wake. It’s fun and refreshing and exactly what the scene needs in such a male-heavy industry. But in her two latest releases - L-Shaped Couch and now Platform Shoes - it seems that the Queen has taken a detour into the pop-flavoured waters!

Following the guitar-laced, disco bop that is L-Shaped Couch, her brand new single, Platform Shoes, mashes gospel vocals, disco groove, and rock guitars into possibly the catchiest earworm of the year!

The lyrics are a Scene Queen staple, tackling the topic of women shrinking themselves down to satisfy a man - or, in fact, refusing to do so. The standout lyrics, upon first listen, are ‘Cause you start looking like you’re five foot two / when you talk like you do’ from the chorus and the ever powerful ‘I will not change who I am / for the comfort of a man’ which will absolutely be screamed at the top of everyone’s lungs at her up-coming shows across Europe.

It brings pop-rock to a whole new level, with the bouncing drums and chewy distortion of the guitar making it a truly memorable, powerful, and joyful jam. Listening to it evokes the feeling of an empowered teenager dancing about their bedroom with the aesthetics of a 2000s coming-of-age show, like Lizzie McGuire or Zoey 101 - it’s such a bubbly, nostalgic sound with a Scene Queen spin on it.

I’m really excited to see what comes next from Scene Queen because if Collins continues to dip her toes into different genres and combine them to create these fun, energetic, mash-ups of sounds, it will be a treat for not just the ears but the alternative scene as a whole. They may not want to admit it but the scene needs bimbocore to push its evolution, both sonically and socially. The Scene needs its Queen.