Slayyyter turns Midwest trash into pop gold, surprising even herself
Slayyyter, the electrifying electropop artist, has been making waves with her latest album, Worst Girl in America. This after-hours record is immediate, vertiginous, and diabolically cheeky, capturing a ferality rarely seen in today’s pop culture. Slayyyter, born Catherine Grace Garner, has spent the past nine years on the fringes of pop music, creating brashly sexual, sharp-elbowed tracks for a predominantly online, queer fanbase. Despite facing disappointments in her career, she refused to conform to commercial expectations, opting instead to create a sound that she truly loved, regardless of its mainstream appeal.
Her singles like Beat Up Chanel$, Dance …, and Old Technology introduce a sharper, sleeker, and filthier sound that embodies a heartland sleaze, nostalgic yet visionary. Dubbed “midwest trash,” Slayyyter’s music paints a hedonistic picture of motel parties, unfinished basements, trucker hats, and taxidermy. Her latest song, $t Loser, showcases her sonic prowess as she navigates a car chase, unapologetically flaunting her St. Loser roots. Despite her initial doubts, Slayyyter’s music has garnered over 2.3 million monthly streams on Spotify, catapulting her into pop stardom.
Beyond her midwest trash persona, Slayyyter is approachable and eager to delve into the naff noughties cultural references that shape her music. Raised in suburban St. Louis, she found solace online, bonding over music and celebrity culture. Her early tracks, created while working as a receptionist at a hair salon, parodied paparazzi-influenced imagery with catchy tunes about Juicy Couture and rhinestone jeans. When one of her tracks went viral, Slayyyter’s distinctive sound caught the attention of stan Twitter, propelling her toward mainstream success.
During a time before hyperpop and Y2K aesthetics saturated the music scene, Slayyyter and collaborator Ayesha Erotica were pioneers in their genre, carving out a niche that later became a trend. Slayyyter’s rise to fame included mixtapes, indie record deals, and tours with high-profile artists like Charli XCX and Kesha. Her albums, Troubled Paradise and Starfucker, showcased her evolution as an artist, exploring themes of Hollywood allure and plasticity.
Through it all, Slayyyter has remained true to her musical roots, eschewing mainstream pressures in favor of creating music that resonates with her. As she continues to push boundaries and evolve her sound, Slayyyter’s journey from a self-described “worst girl in America” to pop sensation is a testament to her resilience and artistry in an ever-changing industry.