Pick of the Week: Blondshell “What’s Fair”

By Gavin Miller

Blondshell’s newest song “What’s Fair” is a new exploration of the sound that she continues to nail. It proves that she’s not going anywhere; she’s in the scene to stay. 

We All Fell for Blondshell

In 2023, one album shook up the indie scene with a unique tenacity, and that was Blondshell’s self-titled debut album. Blondshell was filled with reckoning, honesty, and emotional journeys that found a special place in many listeners' hearts. Songs like “Sepsis” feel made for the rollercoasters of life. The lyrics are memorable in their blunt quality and Sabrina Mae Teitelbaum–the woman behind Blondshell–has the voice to work behind them. 

After the release of 2022’s “Olympus,” Blondshell was on a lot of people’s radar. This was a long list, but one pair of eyes paid off; Liz Phair invited Blondshell to open for her 2023 tour. It was a big step for Blondshell as a new indie artist, even with her string of hits. However the momentum she picked up with the tour and debut album led to a spot on the tribute album for Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense. The placement had Blondshell lined up with big time artists, including Miley Cyrus, Paramore, and Lorde. 

Though not every cover on the tribute album is perfect, Blondshell’s rendition of “Thank You for Sending Me an Angel” is breezy, fun, and angelic. It sounds like a soft wind on a warm day, and the punchy drums drive the tune home. All of the buildup since her debut has led Blondshell to her recent singles. After a colorful song featuring Bully, Blondshell released “What’s Fair” and the tune has caught everyone’s attention again. 

Mastering the Art of Angst

On “What’s Fair,” the angst is turned up to the max, but the lyrics still feel perfected. Oftentimes, artists can let some of their worse writing loose in the heat of angst. Especially in genres like emo and slacker rock, bearing one’s soul can be cringe-inducing if the lyrics feel even slightly inauthentic. Luckily, there is nothing inauthentic about Blondshell’s writing on “What’s Fair.” The song, which seems to be directed at her mother, speaks with a healthy distance from a relationship’s initial fission. The underlying fuzz of guitar sparks and sputters as Blondshell questions whether there can ever be fairness when addressing a parent’s performance. 

This is a hard pill to swallow. On “What’s Fair” Blondshell shows that one can balance a newfound maturity with old-school angst; she demonstrates that even if emotions don’t fade, one can contextualize them. This is clear from the first line, where Sabrina Mae Teitelbaum sings, “ I think that you’d be proud/I flew alone today” in a somber melody. In a weighty consideration of parental performance, Teitelbaum demonstrates she’s letting it all out: her own sexual escapades, fame’s intrusion into her family, and even introspection about her angst. “What’s Fair” is funny, cruel, and familiar in the unfairness of its lyrics.