My Kim Petras Top 15 Countdown
In my humble opinion Kim Petras is THE pop star of 2019. No other pop star right now is working harder than she is at crafting one perfect pop song after another. She released 3 songs at the start of 2019 simultaneously and then proceeded to release 9 songs across 9 weeks during the spring and they were all certified BOPS! In fact, it would not surprise me if this list is out of date within days of it being posted because Kim's productivity is unreal. Kim Petras is also a perfect example how streaming has changed the music industry because she didn’t release a single full-length album until the end of June this year. All she had released before was a steady stream of singles and a Halloween themed EP and yet she already had enough songs to fill a greatest hits album. Since Kim releases almost all of her songs separately on their own, fans are able to take in and process each song at a time and treat each song as if it was another hit single instead of just being a deep cut on an album. The concert I attended in June was proof of this since every song came off being a smash hit that everyone in the audience sang along to including Personal Hell which had only been released for 2 days when I saw Kim live. So, treat this list as a starter guide that is sure to expand and grow in the coming weeks, months and hopefully years. As far as I can tell there is no better pop star in 2019 than Kim Petras. WOO-AH!
15. Can't Do Better
This song is a good showcase for Kim's range which sometimes gets overlooked on other songs due to their hooks and catchy production. Here the main hook sees Kim belting at the top of her lungs and it's pretty damn impressive. When I first saw Kim on the Bloom tour it was her performance of this song that really blew me away. This is when I realized Kim had the look, songs and hooks of Britney Spears but the vocals of a Kelly Clarkson or Lady Gaga.
14. If U Think About Me
This song's main hook revolves around Kim Petras' signature vocal hook "WOO-AH!" This vocal tic as Kim has noted is something random that she came up with one day that just stuck. Kim says it means nothing and everything at once and it's become her rallying cry for her and her fans. The fact that she has a song built around this signature vocal tic that everyone else sang to live shows how much Kim has established herself as a pop star on the rise. Also, this song is another great showcase for her vocals because this is another song that sees Kim belting the chorus out with everything she's got.
13. Personal Hell
The 8th song Kim released over the course of 8 weeks during the Spring of 2019 is just another example of how unstoppable she is right now. This is another extremely catchy pop song with perfect production that makes you want to dance and another memorable vocal hook. The beat to this song is irresistible and made me and everyone else dance during the concert. For most other pop stars Personal Hell would be a career peak but for Kim Petras it's just another day at the office for her in 2019.
12. Hillside Boys
Kim's favorite song to perform live is another fan favorite that sees Kim at her bubblegum pop best. This was her second single ever and proved that her debut single I Don't Want It At All was no fluke. Hillside Boys is pop at its purest where hooks and melodies rule the day. The production and vocals on Hillside Boys work in tandem to create an earworm that will run laps through your head for days.
11. 1,2,3, Dayz Up
The song that wrapped up Kim's first era. At first glance this song seems to be another party fueled anthem with a strong Kesha influence. Yet, underneath you can hear in the lyrics that this song is about how Kim feels the need to party endlessly to keep from feeling sad and alone which then gives 1,2,3, Dayz Up a whole new context once you realize this. It also has one of Kim's most memorable lyrics with "I wanna party with Jesus!"
10. Slow It Down
This was probably Kim's best sex jam until Do Me. Like the title indicates Kim slowed it down here for a more chill RnB sound that oozes sex. The short Sax bursts during the bridge are a real nice touch as well since I love the Sax and it helps give the song even more sex appeal. Maybe not underrated as much as it tends to get overlooked since Slow It Down doesn't scream for your attention immediately like most Kim songs do but is that part of its charm. It slowly but surely works its way into your heart.
09. In the Next Life
Turn Off the Lights was a left field move for Kim initially as she was primarily known for party songs and sex jams up to that point and now she was doing a creepy Halloween themed EP?!? Yet this EP was a perfect extension of the Kim Petras brand where she mixed the spooky fun and drama of horror with sexy dance pop that ended working surprisingly well. It's now the centerpiece of her catalogue and live shows and fans are clamoring for volume 2. In the Next Life is one of the strongest tracks off the EP that starts with some atmospheric spookiness before switching gears into one of Kim's best production beats. It's a cleverly produced and arranged pop song that keeps you on your toes while you're dancing along to it.
08. Close Your Eyes
Jesse Saint John and Kim Petras' first collaboration is a pivotal moment for both acts as it not only helped spark the idea for Turn off The Lights but it also brought together two amazing talents from the Queer community who seem to bring out the best in each other both on record and in person. Close Your Eyes is the strongest song off Turn Off the Lights and is my husband's favorite song by Kim period. Let's face it all other Halloween themed music has been cancelled because all we need now every October is Turn of the Lights by Kim Petras. Here's to Turn Off the Lights volume 2 coming this October!
07. Feeling of Falling
Kim's collaboration with Cheat Codes ended up becoming one of her biggest hits especially at Radio Disney where it stayed at #1 for several weeks. It's a pop song with great atmospheric production and like most Kim songs has hooks for days! This is the only song I love by Kim that I have not seen her perform live yet so I'm hoping she starts adding it to her concerts next time she comes to D.C. because it's one of her best!
06. Got My Number
Right from the start this song had me at:
"GIRLLLL!" - Jesse Saint John
"What's up Bitch!" - Kim Petras
Jesse Saint John and Kim Petras are two of the most likable and magnetic pop stars currently operating and it's obvious they have amazing chemistry together. I honestly could listen to them chat over the phone with each other over a simple beat for 4 minutes and still be entertained. By now most people know the phone number Kim recites in this song was actually Jesse Saint John's real life phone number. If the song blows up Jesse may have the most famous phone # since 867-5309! Kim also opens her concerts with this song now and it's easy to see why because this song will get you moving in no time. Also don't forget to secure the bag sis!
05. All the Time
All the Time has what might be Kim's biggest earworm of a hook yet with "I just wanna do it every day all the time yeah all the time!" This hook literally feels like it's running laps around your brain and you cannot resist it no matter how hard you try. All the Time has everything we love about Kim in that it's sexy but cute, catchy but well crafted and the WOO-AH in this song might be the most adorable in her whole catalogue.
04. Do Me
Kim Petras has said that Do Me was inspired by 80s hair metal sex jams but done the Kim Petras way. Before she released Do Me, Kim teased on social media that this would be the new anthem for sluts everywhere and she wasn't wrong because it brings out the slut in me every time I hear it and I like that! Kim also said it was the song she was most looking forward to performing on tour in 2019. After seeing her live I can see why she felt that way because this was one of the highest peaks of the whole concert which was stuffed with peak moments throughout. This was another song where Kim belted out the main chorus with everything she had and the experience was about as good as actually having sex!
03. I Don't Want It At All
Kim's debut single established Kim's persona and brand perfectly. In a lot of ways I Don't Want It At All feels like the millennial update of Madonna's Material Girl and since Kim's a devoted Madonna fan (especially Madonna's earlier music) this is probably not a coincidence. In all honesty Kim couldn't have had a better debut single than this one and it remains a huge fan favorite that got everyone singing at the top of their lungs in concert.
02. Sweet Spot
I love the disco influence on this one so much. This is flat out one of the best dance pop songs released this decade and it was a perfect concert closer when I saw her live. I definitely danced my buns off to it live and you will too.
01. Heart to Break
Heart to Break is one of the greatest pop songs ever written. It reminds me of early Boy Toy era Madonna meets early Teen Pop era Britney Spears meets Teenage Dream era Katy Perry and it's just as good as anything released by any of those pop divas. This song is what hooked me on Kim Petras initially and it remains my favorite song by her though I have no doubt that she can top this because she's come close A LOT as this countdown can attest. This is as perfect as pop music gets and it's shame it wasn't a worldwide # 1 smash but in the era of streaming that might not matter soon. When I saw her live the whole audience was chanting Heart to Break right before the encore and when Kim came out and the song started the audience erupted. Kim Petras is the new Queen of pop music and Heart to Break is the brightest diamond in her crown thus far.
