The days of Pink Pantheress being an aesthetic artist that fans can gatekeep are long gone. The London-based artist has blown up over the past 6 months. She now has a similar monthly listener count on Spotify to the likes of Lil Uzi Vert or Rosalia. A significant reason for her influx of fans has been her knack for picking the right artists for collaborating with. Admittedly still growing as a producer, the 21-year-old is keenly aware that collaborating with others is the most surefire way for her to create the sound she wants. Looking poised to release her debut full-length album this or next year, it’s been a big start to 2023 for PinkPantheress.
PinkPantheress has been a trend-setter from the jump. Before releasing her debut EP ‘To Hell With It,’ she stated “Music’s been the same for so long. Can we get something different?” In her vision to create new sub-genres, she hasn’t been afraid to take a fellow Gen-Z pop phenoms along for the ride. From Ice Spice to Willow, the Internet superstar is equally looking to elevate similar artists around her.
Today, we’re taking a look at PinkPantheress’ best collaborations to date.
Picture in My Mind (PinkPantheress and Sam Gellaitry)
Working with dance producer and singer/songwriter Sam Gellaitry, the two came together on the groovy “Picture In My Mind.” With both artists creating music in the dance lane while living in the UK, it certainly feels like a collaboration that was inevitably going to happen at some point. Featuring distorted synths and a pacey bassline, it’s an incredibly catchy groove. Pantheress and Gellaitry sing over each other from start to finish, with the two’s oppositely pitched voices mixing well.
Discussing the track, she stated “I went all the way to Scotland to work with Sam. He is a genius level producer.” Gellaitry has been on a tear himself over the past year, releasing his sophomore mixtape ‘VF Vol II’ last year. In addition, he recently put out a Kaytranada-remixed version of “Assumptions” on Spotify. It’s not the first time the two have worked together. Sam Gellaitry remixed her hit-song “Passion” in January of 2022, a track that’s garnered over 70 million streams on Spotify.
Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2 (PinkPantheress and Ice Spice)
It’s impossible to write an article about PinkPantheress collaborations without mentioning “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2.” A remix of the original version, she teamed up with Bronx-based American rapper Ice Spice, who delivers a catchy verse on the back end of the track. On the surface, one would think that the lo-fi, Jersey-beat aesthetic of “Boy’s A Liar” wouldn’t fit Ice Spice’s comfort zone. However, the two Gen-Z icons flow between each other surprisingly well. PinkPantheress’ first track to debut on the Billboard Hot 100, the song would peak in the top 5.
The track feels like two best friends ruminating over lost exes. While the two approach that conversation in two contrasting ways, the mix makes for a chaotically fun groove. In addition, the track features co-production credits from electronic music producer Mura Masa. A track that originally appeared on her ‘Take Me Home EP,’ the charming synth-pop on “Boy’s A Liar” makes it the most iconic track in her discography to date.
Where You Are
Yet another female artist who’s stamped her name in the music industry over the past year, PinkPantheress collaborated with rockstar Willow Smith for the angsty “Where You Are.” Pantheress allows Willow to be herself on the track, as she delivers her usual dark punk-rock energy. “Where You Are” features ruminating guitar chords and subtle background violin strings. It creates a melancholic tone that is commonly associated with PinkPantheress’ sound.
The two bounce off of each other seamlessly. Foregoing to the more traditional feature structure, Willow’s vocals are peppered all over the track. In a press release, PinkPantheress wrote “I had a lot of fun writing this song. It took loads of attempts to get it right, but this is probably my proudest work to date, and I’m super happy for everyone to hear it.”
Do You Miss Me?
PinkPantheress was able to secure her dream collaboration on ‘Do You Miss Me?’ She’s been open about her aspirations to work with the Toronto-based super producer in the past. She’s referenced being inspired to begin producing her own music, and hone in on her dance-pop sound after hearing Kaytranada‘s music back in 2016. Similar to much of her past music, PinkPantheress is obsessed on the track. Consumed by her infatuation, she repeats “miss me” a total of 34 times on a track that just barely skates past the 2-minute mark.
“Do You Miss Me?” features the signature bouncy sound of Kaytranada’s beats, with subtle afrobeat drums and droning synth pitching. While the track didn’t yield the mind-blowing sound that fans may have anticipated, he certainly adds color and tonnage to her traditional sound. The last 20 seconds are the most contemporary section of the track. PinkPantheress’ voice is warped into an eerie pitching sound.
Bbycakes
This song is downright silly. Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Shy Girl, and PinkPantheress, the track seemed doomed from the start. However, producer Mura Masa finds a way to seamlessly blend the trio’s vocal talents on “Bbycakes.” In retrospect, the success of the track shouldn’t be a shock. While Shy Girl and PinkPantheress are already well-known for diving into the hyper-pop space, Lil Uzi Vert had expressed an innate ability to do more than solely rap over trap beats in the past.
When discussing the track in an interview, Mura Masa stated, “I feel like “Bbycakes” is a future-facing record. Clashing U.K dancehall culture with U.S drill music, all of it is a mission statement for the vicarious and playful nature that I think popular music needs in an overly cynical culture.” The track is exactly that, as PinkPantheress and Lil Uzi Vert trade vocals on the second verse of the track. Admittedly chaotic, it’s still track that saw PinkPantheress dive out of her comfort zone along with a list of household names.