“Mosquito” – PinkPantheress

English singer and record producer Victoria Beverly Walker, known professionally as PinkPantheress, has recently released her debut album, Heaven Knows, with the upbeat track “Mosquito” serving as the lead single for the album. Like most PinkPantheress tracks, “Mosquito” is short in length, however, her production skills never fail to satisfy the listeners’ ears and draw their attention. She has created her own genre by blending various types of music, such as alt-pop, drum and bass, and 2-step garage. She also draws influences from pop-punk, emo, and K-pop, which make for a colorful array of music that she somehow makes work together. Although Heaven knows is her first album, her music journey does not start there.

PinkPantheress first broke out into the music scene when she started uploading snippets of her songs to TikTok. Her first snippet, a piece of her song “Just a Waste”, went viral on TikTok and provided her with the momentum to release her debut singles “Break it Off” and “Pain.” She possessed and showcased a strong following from her virality on TikTok as “Pain” peaked at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart. She soon released her next single, “Just for Me,” which showed growth in her following as it peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart and garnered her several nominations from premiere award shows such as the iHeartRadio Music Awards and the NME Awards. The series of singles culminated in PinkPantheress releasing her debut mixtape, To Hell with It, which received universal acclaim from critics and the general public. Following her mixtape, she released a new EP entitled Take Me Home that includes the single “Boy’s a Liar,” which she released a remix for with up-and-coming rapper Ice Spice.

PinkPantheress performing live. Source

“Mosquito” begins with PinkPantheress posing a question about seeing someone or something that cements the primary theme of the track as the following line clarifies the thing she is requesting to see, her “numbers,” or money in her bank account. She then indicates that her lack of control over money might be “annoying,” since she immediately spends it when she catches a glimpse of something she wants. This reveals her guilty conscience with the massive amounts of money she spends. She begins conversing with her wealth and asks for its permission to spend more on another day she desires, further emphasizing her guilt. PinkPantheress recognizes that the amount of money she spends is “appalling,” showcasing her yearning for improved spending habits.

In the chorus, PinkPantheress recounts a dream where she had died, and the only reason she cared about dying was that she was taken away from her fortune. This demonstrates her unhealthy relationship with her finances since it has become apparent she prioritizes the amount of money she makes over everything else in her life, even family and friends. She has lost the appeal in everything that makes life beautiful and enjoyable. She is noticeably taken aback by the dream and asks, “What happened to me?”

PinkPantheress pictured carrying bags of designer brands for her music video, showcasing her habits. Source