Miss Petty - Slay EP Review
Slay is the second EP released by an up-and-coming Czech drag performer known as Miss Petty. Although short in length, the EP is considerably dense and rich in production ideas as well as lyrical themes. In just 18 minutes and 21 seconds, Miss Petty takes us on a personal journey of failed relationships, overcoming hardship, and unapologetic celebration of queerness.
It is rare for a pop music release to deliver a fun listening experience combined with profound personal truths hidden in the lyrics and sounds. Not many artists can boast of having accomplished this (both locally and internationally), but Miss Petty’s latest release Slay EP gave us both and so much more.
The EP was preceded by the lead single Mega Kozy, an energetic empowerment anthem sonically reminiscent of Madonna’s early 00s music. Its sexually explicit lyrics serve a surprising change of mood from the opening track Sám, on which Miss Petty deals with a breakup by wishing loneliness upon her ex-partner. On the bridge of that song she also boldly rejects heteronormative relationship dynamics before going into the final chorus, which feels like a spell being cast on the person who brought misery upon her life.
My personal favourite track on the EP is the titular song Slay, a cheeky bop centred around Miss Petty’s experience of sleeping with a chaser. Miss Petty flips the script and instead of suffering her hookup’s violence, she threatens him not to expose her as she feels embarrassed for betraying her community by sleeping with a man who fetishizes her.
The following song Hvězda is a gay coming of age anthem that will undoubtedly become a staple for every small town queer person in Czech Republic and Slovakia. The song is a big middle finger to Petty’s detractors, but instead of aggressive confrontation Miss Petty opted for showing us her vulnerable side by telling a beautiful story about her rise to fame in spite of all those who wished to suppress her true identity.
The EP ends with a club-ready anthem Cool and a remix of the same song by litterbin. On the remix, Miss Petty recruits Just Karen and Play$tation Princess to deliver a futuristic tune that is just as fun as it is rancid, mainly thanks to Karen’s kinky spoken word verse.
Slay EP is the queer catharsis perfected, a body of art that exceeds listeners’ expectations and pushes boundaries of pop music like nothing else on the Czech and Slovak music scene. This release is a huge milestone not just for Miss Petty herself, but for the local queer community that finally has a mainstream artist unafraid to tell their truth.