For the 2024 non-fiction book, see American Teenager (book). For other uses, see American Teen (disambiguation).
American Teenager
single
CoverAmerican Teenager.jpg
ArtistEthel Cain
AlbumPreacher's Daughter
ReleasedApril 21, 2022
Genre
Length4:18
LabelDaughters of Cain
Writer
ProducerEthel Cain
Prev year2022
Next year2023

"American Teenager" is a song by American singer-songwriter and record producer Ethel Cain from her debut studio album, Preacher's Daughter (2022). It was released through her record label, Daughters of Cain, on April 21, 2022, as the third and final single from the album. Cain produced the song and wrote it with Steven Mark Colyer.

Inspired by photographs of her mother's time as a high school cheerleader, she wrote the song to criticize the unrealistic expectations of being a teenager in the United States. She was initially concerned that making pop music would undermine her non-pop songs, but later decided to not let this affect her. It is a heartland rock and pop song driven by synthesizers, guitar, and drums. A song about intergenerational trauma, its lyricism offers cultural commentary criticizing gun culture in the United States, unraveling the concept of the "American Dream", and expresses anti-war themes. Numerous reviewers compared the track's sound to other musicians, especially Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen; Cain has cited the latter as a longtime inspiration.

Upon its release, "American Teenager" was positively received by music critics, several of whom deemed it a standout from Preacher's Daughter. Critics enjoyed the emotional contrast between the upbeat production and the melancholic lyrics, the song's lyrical complexity, emotional depth and imagery, the song's blend of genres, and Cain's ability to make an accessible track while maintaining a distinct sound. Several publications deemed it one of the best songs of 2022, and it also made select mid-decade lists. It also appeared in Rolling Stone's 2023 list of the most inspirational LGBTQ songs of all time and Billboard's 2024 list of the best LGBTQ anthems of all time. Former President of the United States Barack Obama named it one of his favorite songs of 2022, and American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams recorded a cover version of the song in February 2024.

Cain directed and edited the music video for "American Teenager", which was filmed by Silken Weinberg in Cain's hometown of Perry, Florida. She wore her mother's cheerleading uniform to the city's high school football field to take after her. The video pays homage to the emo band American Football and contains footage of the September 11 attacks. Cain performed "American Teenager" live at several festivals and included it in the setlists of the Freezer Bride Tour in 2022 and the Blood Stained Blonde Tour in 2023.

Background and release

After leaving her family's home in Florida when she was age 18, Cain began her gender transition process and began working on her debut album, Preacher's Daughter (2022).[1] She had been working on the album's story throughout the majority of her life;[1] its narrative revolves around an American girl that runs away from her home only to meet a violent end with a cannibal.[2] She announced the album alongside the release of its lead single, "Gibson Girl", on March 17, 2022.[3] It was followed by the second single, "Strangers", on April 7.[4] "American Teenager" was released as the third and final single from the album on April 21, through her record label, Daughters of Cain. It was released alongside a visualizer, which depicts Cain sitting on a picnic table, drinking cans of Budweiser, and appearing tired on a sunny day. Alongside the release of the single, she also announced the Freezer Bride Tour and revealed its North American dates for July 2022.[5]

Cain was inspired to write "American Teenager" after looking at old photographs of her mother's time as a cheerleader in high school.[6] She wrote the song to criticize the unrealistic expectations of being a teenager in the United States. She stated that she was surrounded by "visions of NASCAR, rock'n'roll, and being the one who would change everything" when growing up. She also commented on how the people around her growing up made her believe that everything is achievable, though did not tell her that "you need your neighbor more than your country needs you".[7] Commenting on making a song with a more mainstream sound than the rest of her discography, Cain stated she was "scared that if [she] made pop music, [she] wouldn't be taken seriously for the non-pop songs", but later felt as if she was "getting to the point where [she] [does not] care".[8] Cain produced the song herself and wrote it with Steven Mark Colyer.[9][a]

Music and lyrics

"American Teenager" is 4 minutes and 18 seconds long.[10] It is a heartland rock[b] and pop[c] song with elements of country rock[5] and folk music.[11] It has also been described as an ambient pop,[12] indie folk,[13] pop rock,[14] and arena rock[15] track by select music publications. It is driven by synthesizers, guitar, and drums with a hook reminiscent of rock music from the 1980s.[16][17][18] Cain's vocals, and the track itself, contain considerable amounts of reverb.[19][20] Its guitar riff is a sample of the song "Don't Stop Believin' (1981) by the American rock band Journey.[21] "American Teenager" is the most upbeat song on Preacher's Daughter[17] and was seen as its most commercially appealing track by Paul Bridgewater from The Line of Best Fit.[22] Pitchfork's Olivia Horn deemed it Cain's "closest brush with pop's mainstream".[21] Writing for Billboard, Stephen Daw felt it had a more uplifting sound compared to Cain's previous material.[23]

"American Teenager" is about intergenerational trauma,[11] with lyrics that offer cultural commentary criticizing gun culture in the United States,[24] unraveling the concept of the "American Dream",[25] as well as expressing anti-war themes.[24][26] The lyric "The neighbor's brother came home in a box" challenges the idea of a person serving their country, while "Jesus, if you're there, why do I feel alone in this room with you?" questions the idea of a person loving their god.[27] The song evokes imagery of a high school football team,[2] nights that went wrong, and prayers to Jesus.[28] Its isolation-influenced lyrics about crying on a set of bleachers and witnessing caskets come back from war are used in a way to promote her sense of self-determination.[29] Cain references the American racing driver Dale Earnhardt in the lyric "I do it for my daddy and I do it for Dale",[30] and the song ends with the line "I'm doing what I want / And damn, I'm doing it well / For me", showing that the one thing Cain believes in is herself.[29] Bridgewater highlighted that the track, alongside the album songs "Family Tree" and "Gibson Girl", contain "lyrics that paint a Southern Gothic world filled with the scent of Marlboro Reds, and waffle-house[sic] coffee".[18]

Numerous reviewers compared the sound of "American Teenager" to various musicians, especially Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen. The Guardian's Shaad D'Souza said the track "feels indebted" to Swift and Springsteen[31] and jokingly called it "the year's best Taylor Swift song".[32] Similarly, Michelle Hyun Kim of Rolling Stone said it is reminiscent of Springsteen, Swift, and the emo band American Football.[29] Devon Chodzin from Paste commented on the track's "Springsteen-like curiosity around Americana, but even more biting criticism".[17] Tom Williams noticed similarities with Swift's second studio album, Fearless (2008), in a review for Beats Per Minute.[2] Similarly, Evan Rytlewski of Pitchfork observed similarities between the song and Speak Now (2010), Swift's third studio album.[33] Steve Erickson from Slant Magazine wrote that the song's "huge drums and vocals drowned in reverb" could be played next to Swift's songs on Top 40 radio,[19] while Reanna Cruz of NPR Music felt the song's guitar tones were inspired by Swift and the musician Tom Petty.[20] Paper's Jacqueline Codiga highlighted similarities between "American Teenager" and Swift's 2008 song "Love Story",[34] while Rayne Fisher-Quann of i-D commented on the song's "Springsteen-inflected heartland rock".[35] Writing for Business Insider, Callie Ahlgrim felt that the song "scratches a similar itch" that Lana Del Rey's song "Born to Die" (2012) did, "but swaps [Del Rey's] heavy-handed nihilism for a snapshot of youth that's far more complex and authentic".[36] A writer for Billboard felt the "ethereal regions of [Cain's] voice" were reminiscent of the Irish rock band the Cranberries.[37] In an interview with Paper, Cain cited Springsteen as a longtime inspiration.[34]

Reception

Critical response

Upon its release, "American Teenager" received positive reviews from music publications. Several critics considered it a standout track from Preacher's Daughter.[d] Some reviewers highlighted the emotional contrast between the upbeat production and the melancholic lyrics.[19][38] Rytlewski commended the song's ability to effectively establish the album's recurring themes.[33] Some critics applauded the song's lyrical complexity, emotional depth, and imagery.[e] DIY's Ben Tipple considered it "perfect epic pop",[25] while Bridgewater felt it was one of the album's "tent-pole tracks".[18] Critics enjoyed the song's blend of genres[28][29] and Cain's ability to make an accessible track while maintaining a distinct sound.[20][39]

Rankings

Several publications deemed "American Teenager" one of the best songs of 2022. It appeared in the top 25 spots in lists from Business Insider,[40] The Line of Best Fit,[22] the Los Angeles Times,[41] Vulture,[42] The Guardian,[32] Slant Magazine,[19] Pitchfork,[28] Paste,[43] The New York Times,[44] DIY,[27] Billboard,[14] and NPR Music.[20] It also received further placements in the top 100 from The Fader,[38] Consequence,[39] Vice,[45] and Rolling Stone,[29] and appeared in unranked lists from Slate,[46] Nylon,[47] Uproxx,[48] and British GQ.[49] It was included in Rolling Stone's 2023 list of the most inspirational LGBTQ songs of all time; Ilana Kaplan called it Preacher's Daughter's breakout song.[50] Similarly, Billboard named it as one of the best LGBTQ anthems of all time in 2024, describing it as "earnest yet jaded, familiar yet fresh".[37]

Pitchfork and Paste both featured the song in their mid-decade lists of the best songs of the 2020s. The former ranked it at number 29; Horn called it a "fist-pumping anthem of solidarity for all the young people that the American dream leaves behind".[21] The latter named it the 64th best track, with Clare Martin lauding Cain's pop abilities "as she pays tribute to her Southern Baptist Florida upbringing".[51] In 2024, American Songwriter named it the best rock song of the decade so far; Em Casalena lauded the song's folk elements, saying they made the song sound "addicting". She also commented, "It's wild how a song about intergenerational trauma can be such a delightful little slice of music".[11] Both USA Today and Billboard included it in their 2024 lists of the best songs to play on the Fourth of July.[52][53]

Select rankings of "American Teenager"
PublicationListYearRank
BillboardThe 100 Best Songs of 20222022
21
[14]
70 Top LGBTQ+ Anthems of All Time2024
46
[37]
DIYTracks of 20222022
20
[27]
The GuardianThe 20 Best Songs of 20222022
8
[32]
The Line of Best FitThe Best Songs of 20222022
2
[22]
Los Angeles Times50 Best Songs of 20222022
3
[41]
The New York TimesBest Songs of 20222022
13
[44]
NPR Music100 Best Songs of 20222022
25
[20]
PasteBest Songs of 20222022
13
[43]
The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far2024
64
[51]
PitchforkThe 100 Best Songs of 20222022
11
[28]
The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far2024
29
[21]
Rolling Stone100 Best Songs of 20222022
91
[29]
The 50 Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time2023
49
[50]

Celebrity response

"American Teenager" was listed as one of former President of the United States Barack Obama's favorite songs of 2022, which prompted surprise from Cain and the media due to the song's anti-war message.[54] The song was included on the pre-show playlist for Swift's the Eras Tour (2023–2024).[55] American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams covered "American Teenager" at the Sydney concert of her Good Riddance Tour in January 2024.[56] The following month, she recorded a cover version of the song for the Australian radio station Triple J. Following its release, Abrams showed admiration for Cain; she described the song as "amazing" and stated that she enjoys Cain's songwriting and listens to her music often.[57]

Influence

Nico Lang named their nonfiction book, American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era, after "American Teenager". They decided on the name when they heard Cain's song playing on the radio, later saying that they hoped the song would influence how readers approached their book.[58]

Music video and live performances

Cain directed and edited the music video for "American Teenager", which was filmed by Silken Weinberg in Cain's hometown of Perry, Florida.[35][59] Cain wore her mother's cheerleading uniform to the city's high school football field, shooting the video on the same camera used for the music video of her song "God's Country" (2021).[59] She stated that she felt it correct to follow in her mother's "footsteps" for the music video after looking at old pictures of her mother.[6] The video pays homage to American Football and contains footage of the September 11 attacks. It also includes a longer intro to the song.[60]

Cain performed "American Teenager" live at several festivals, including the Pitchfork Music Festival,[7] Coachella,[61] and Primavera Sound.[62] She also included it in the set list of her first two concerts tours, the Freezer Bride Tour in 2022,[63] and the Blood Stained Blonde Tour in 2023.[64]

References

Notes

  1. ^ Cain is credited by her real name, Hayden Silas Anhedönia.[9]
  2. ^ Attributed to Pitchfork's Evan Rytlewski,[33] The Guardians Shaad D'Souza,[31] Papers Jacqueline Codiga,[34] American Songwriters Em Casalena,[11] and Pastes Clare Martin.[30]
  3. ^ Attributed to Clashs Oshen Douglas-McCormick,[16] DIYs Ben Tipple and Elly Watson,[25][27] The Guardians Phil Mongredien,[65] and Pitchforks Nadine Smith.[28]
  4. ^ Attributed to The Guardian's Phil Mongredien,[65] Pastes Scott Russell,[59] American Songwriters Em Casalena,[11] Clashs Oshen Douglas-McCormick,[16] and British GQs Lucy Ford and Jessie Atkinson.[49]
  5. ^ Attributed to The Line of Best Fit's Paul Bridgewater,[22][18] The Guardians Shaad D'Souza,[32] and Pastes Jacqueline Codiga.[43]

Citations

  1. ^ Daw, Stephen (May 12, 2022). "The Book of Ethel Cain: How the Alternative Phenom Built Up Her Own Reality Only to Tear It Down". Billboard. Archived May 12, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  2. ^ Williams, Tom (May 19, 2022). "Album Review: Ethel Cain – Preacher's Daughter". Beats Per Minute. Archived May 19, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  3. ^ McMullen, Chase (March 17, 2022). "Ethel Cain smolders across the gloriously slow burn "Gibson Girl", announces debut album". Beats Per Minute. Archived March 17, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  4. ^ Linzinmeir, Taylor (April 7, 2022). "Ethel Cain releases "Strangers" ahead of debut album 'Preacher's Daughter'—listen". Alternative Press. Archived June 27, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  5. ^ Helfand, Raphael (April 21, 2022). "Ethel Cain drops new song "American Teenager" with visualizer". The Fader. Archived April 21, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  6. ^ Raza-Sheikh, Zoya (July 22, 2022). "Watch Ethel Cain's new video for American Teenager". Kerrang!. Archived July 22, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  7. ^ Minsker, Evan (April 21, 2022). "Ethel Cain Shares New Song "American Teenager": Listen". Pitchfork. Archived April 21, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  8. ^ Schartz, Emma (2023-06-21). "Ethel Cain and Kiernan Shipka on Nihilism and Nightmares". Interview. Archived June 21, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  9. ^ "American Teenager - song and lyrics by Ethel Cain". Spotify. April 21, 2022. Archived October 13, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  10. ^ "American Teenager - Single - Album by Ethel Cain". Apple Music. April 21, 2022. Archived April 22, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  11. ^ Casalena, Em (December 1, 2024). "4 of the Best Rock Songs of the 2020s (So Far)". American Songwriter. Archived December 1, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  12. ^ L., Jasper (May 15, 2022). "Review: Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter". Sputnikmusic. Archived August 27, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  13. ^ Rolling Stone Staff (June 28, 2023). "The 50 Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Archived June 28, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  14. ^ Billboard Staff & Unterberger, Andrew (December 7, 2022). "The 100 Best Songs of 2022: Staff List". Billboard. Archived December 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  15. ^ Reilly, Dan (January 7, 2025). "37 Albums We Can't Wait to Hear in 2025". Vulture. Archived January 8, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  16. ^ Douglas-McCormick, Oshen (May 18, 2022). "Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter". Clash. Archived May 23, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  17. ^ Chodzin, Devon (May 11, 2022). "On Preacher's Daughter, Ethel Cain's Jarring, Beautiful Vision Comes to Life". Paste. Archived May 11, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  18. ^ Bridgewater, Paul (May 11, 2022). "Ethel Cain builds a world of her own on the impressive debut Preacher's Daughter". The Line of Best Fit. Archived May 11, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  19. ^ Erickson, Steve (December 6, 2022). "The 50 Best Songs of 2022". Slant Magazine. Archived December 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  20. ^ Cruz, Reanna (December 15, 2022). "The 100 Best Songs of 2022". NPR Music. Archived December 15, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  21. ^ Pitchfork (September 30, 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far". Pitchfork. Archived September 30, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  22. ^ Bridgewater, Paul (December 19, 2022). "The Best Songs of 2022 Ranked". The Line of Best Fit. Archived March 20, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  23. ^ Daw, Stephen (April 22, 2022). "First Out: New Music From 070 Shake, Ethel Cain, Isaac Dunbar & More". Billboard. Archived April 22, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  24. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (2022-12-24). "Ethel Cain responds after Obama includes her song on his end-of-year playlist". The Independent. Archived December 24, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  25. ^ Tipple, Ben (May 13, 2022). "Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter review". DIY. Archived December 15, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  26. ^ Aroesti, Rachel (May 13, 2022). "Ethel Cain: Preacher's Daughter review – evocative goth-pop with emotional heft". The Guardian. Archived May 13, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  27. ^ Watson, Elly; Swann, Emma; Wright, Lisa; Pilley, Max; Jamieson, Sarah (December 22, 2022). "DIY's Tracks of 2022". DIY. Archived December 15, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  28. ^ Smith, Nadine (December 5, 2022). "The 100 Best Songs of 2022". Pitchfork. Archived December 5, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  29. ^ Kim, Michelle Hyun (2022-12-05). "The 100 Best Songs of 2022". Rolling Stone. Archived December 5, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  30. ^ Martin, Clare (October 16, 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far". Paste. Archived October 21, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  31. ^ D'Souza, Shaad (2023-07-07). "'I felt like a performing monkey': Ethel Cain on fans, fainting and being 'Miss Alt-Pop Star'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived July 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  32. ^ Bugel, Safi; D'Souza, Shaad; Snapes, Laura (December 5, 2022). "The 20 best songs of 2022". The Guardian. Archived December 5, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  33. ^ Rytlewski, Evan (May 18, 2022). "Ethel Cain: Preacher's Daughter Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived May 18, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  34. ^ Codiga, Jacqueline (June 29, 2022). "Ethel Cain: All-American Girl". Paper. Archived January 17, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  35. ^ Fisher-Quann, Rayne (November 23, 2022). "Ethel Cain is subverting the idealised American Dream". i-D. Archived January 11, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  36. ^ Ahlgrim, Callie (December 10, 2022). "The best songs of 2022". Business Insider. Archived February 8, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  37. ^ Billboard Staff; Lynch, Joe; Daw, Stephen; Dailey, Hannah (June 2, 2023). "Best LGBTQ Anthems of All Time: 70 Queer Song Classics". Billboard. Archived October 18, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  38. ^ Renshaw, David (December 15, 2022). "The 100 best songs of 2022". The Fader. Archived December 15, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  39. ^ Consequence Staff (December 5, 2022). "Top 50 Songs of 2022". Consequence. Archived December 5, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  40. ^ Ahlgrim, Callie (December 22, 2022). "The 5 best and 5 worst songs of 2022". Business Insider. Archived January 28, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  41. ^ Brown, August; Draughorne, Kenan; Exposito, Suzy; Wood, Mikael (December 4, 2022). "The 100 best songs of 2022 (complete with playlist!)". Los Angeles Times. Archived December 4, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  42. ^ Curto, Justin & Suskind, Alex (December 7, 2022). "The Best Songs of 2022". Vulture. Archived March 4, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  43. ^ Paste Staff (December 5, 2022). "The 50 Best Songs of 2022". Paste. Archived December 5, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  44. ^ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (December 7, 2022). "Best Songs of 2022". The New York Times. Archived December 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  45. ^ Cooper, Duncan (December 27, 2022). "The 50 Best Songs of 2022". Vice. Archived November 27, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  46. ^ Wilson, Carl (December 9, 2022). "The Best Albums of 2022". Slate. Archived December 9, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  47. ^ Nylon (December 6, 2022). "Nylon's Favorite Songs Of 2022". Nylon. Archived December 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  48. ^ Uproxx Music (December 4, 2022). "The Best Songs of 2022". Uproxx. Archived December 5, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  49. ^ Ford, Lucy & Atkinson, Jessie (November 29, 2022). "The 22 best songs 2022". British GQ. Archived November 29, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  50. ^ Rolling Stone (June 28, 2023). "The 50 Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Archived June 28, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  51. ^ Paste Staff (October 16, 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far". Paste. Archived October 21, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  52. ^ Lynch, Joe; Dailey, Hannah; Grein, Paul (July 1, 2024). "35 Top America Songs for July 4th". Billboard. Archived July 5, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  53. ^ Caldwell, Sophie (May 24, 2024). "40 Fourth of July songs to add to your holiday playlist". USA Today. Archived May 24, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  54. ^ Dao, Dan Q. (24 December 2022). "Barack Obama Listens to Ethel Cain". Paper. Archived September 1, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  55. ^ Ahlgrim, Callie (October 13, 2023). "18 details you may have missed at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour". Business Insider. Archived May 3, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  56. ^ Graves, Shahlin (January 24, 2024). "Watch: Gracie Abrams covers Ethel Cain and Taylor Swift in Australia.". Coup de Main. Archived January 29, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  57. ^ Murray, Robin (February 5, 2024). "Gracie Abrams Covers Ethel Cain's 'American Teenager'". Clash. Archived February 5, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  58. ^ Ruzova, Diana (November 6, 2024). "A Conversation with Nico Lang About "American Teenager"". Chicago Review of Books. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  59. ^ Russell, Scott (July 21, 2022). "Watch Ethel Cain's "American Teenager" Music Video". Paste. Archived July 21, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  60. ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (2022-07-22). "Ethel Cain Shares New Video for 'American Teenagers', Announces Debut UK Show". Our Culture Mag. Archived July 30, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  61. ^ Wheeler, André-Naquian (April 17, 2023). "For Her First-Ever Coachella Performance, Ethel Cain Went Full Cheerleader in Givenchy". Vogue. Archived April 17, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  62. ^ Delgado, Sara (June 3, 2024). "Primavera Sound Barcelona 2024 Was the Perfect Live Summer Playlist". Teen Vogue. Archived June 4, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  63. ^ Seo, Rachel (November 7, 2022). "Ethel Cain's 'Freezer Bride' U.S. Tour Concludes with Transcendent Los Angeles Show: Concert Review". Variety. Archived November 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  64. ^ Factora, James (February 24, 2023). "Boygenius Has Announced Its First UK Tour, Including Dates With MUNA and Ethel Cain". Them. Archived February 26, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  65. ^ Mongredien, Phil (May 14, 2022). "One to watch: Ethel Cain". The Guardian. Archived May 14, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.