We should be crossing our fingers that Slayyyter is on her way to becoming a star. After being relatively overlooked by the mainstream, 2026 is shaping up to be her breakout year. “Dance…” was released on Jan. 16 alongside the announcement of her anticipated third album, WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA, coming in late March. “Dance…” continued a high-energy run of singles accompanying the album, preceded by “BEAT UP CHANEL$,” “CANNIBALISM!” and “CRANK” released throughout the latter half of 2025. The recent fourth single, and anticipated album-opening track, quickly received praise from excited fans for its addictive, moody electro-pop sound.
The first minute or so of “Dance…” builds calmly, luring listeners into a trance-like bassline that sustains the energy through the track. The buzzing beat naturally weaves with a vocal performance that’s equally fierce as it is elegant, paired with playful lyricism.
The bridge, reminiscent of Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music,” builds up to a euphoric release. Enchanting, powerful vocals layered over gritty synths float the listener to the song’s close. The crisp production creates an immersive listening experience from start to finish, and your attention is grabbed quickly. It feels fresh and cool, yet simultaneously familiar and intimate with its industrial influence. This electro-pop anthem is full of style, coolness and energy, hypnotizing the listener to get up and, well, dance!
“And I came here to party, /
And you know what you started /
I’ll end it in the morning when you seem unimportant.”
A Y2K-reminiscent music video dropped alongside the track, picking up right where the videos for the previous three singles left off. Slayyyter continues with vibrant visuals and Americana-rife raunchiness, while amplifying the chaotic pop-star aesthetic. Choreographed by the artist herself, she’s proving herself as a true performer, and it’s nearly impossible to keep your eyes off her.
After signing with major label Columbia Records last year, Slayyyter’s unapologetic artistry refuses to be stifled. The higher-budget production allows her to go all out, self-directing fun, stunning videos. In behind-the-scenes clips posted to her YouTube channel, her eye for fashion and talent for making and mending her own pieces make the show feel even more authentic and relatable. With the multi-talented artist shining in sequined-covered vintage corsets and glittery eyeshadow, Slayyyter looks like she was meant to be a star.
With a growing shadow of political, economic and social instability looming, young adults have found comfort in nostalgia-fueled trends. From indie sleaze to the obsession over the culture and music of 2016, a revived love of dance-pop and club hits is alive and loud online. With rising costs at bars, and clubbing’s “golden age” of the ’90s and 2000s long past, modern releases are lacking the danceable, feel-good music that people crave. Influenced by Britney, Gaga and Fergie, among others, the 29-year-old Midwest-native is answering the call for new club music.
Since a 14-second snippet of her song “Mine” went viral on Twitter — now X — in 2019, Slayyyter has maintained a cult-like following. Like artists commonly associated with her in sound and energy, such as Ayesha Erotica, Kim Petras and Chase Icon, Slayyyter’s fanbase has always been queer-fronted. While popular bars and clubs gradually dissuade crowds, LGBTQ+ nightlife spaces have stuck to the loud, gritty experimental sound and remained vibrant. The queer scene has influenced the evolving realm of electronic, hyperpop and experimental genres, keeping this clubbing culture alive.
Slayyyter is one of many within this flowing cycle of music and listeners, but her influence is likely to spread further. With Charli XCX’s Brat bringing electronic pop further into the mainstream, excitement and interest for the genre have reached new highs. WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA is setting itself up as an exhilarating prolongation of this club-ready music revival, while bringing new personality and individuality to the table. With a release date at the cusp of summer and Slayyyter set to perform at Coachella and Governors Ball, it’s hard to imagine she’ll fly under the radar of the general public and party animals alike.
Despite teasing WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA for months, Slayyyter has kept the anticipation alive with strong singles and vibrant visual elements. With a shift in sound, her growth is prevalent and exciting. In a Tumblr Q&A from July, she expressed the personal meaning behind the album and described it as “soft and sweet, nasty and viscous… the album I was born to make and took many years of sharpening my skills…” Listeners should expect a range of sound and influence akin to “Putting an iPod on shuffle and hearing a track by U2, then M.I.A., then Kid Cudi… but they all feel sonically related.” Right now, the sky seems the limit for the energy that Slayyyter can bring to life through her music, and “Dance…” is an equally fun and thoughtful track that encapsulates her potential as an iconic pop artist.
