Gather round the fire, pop fans. Our stockings have been taken down from the attic and pine needles trickle down the hallway floor, as festive cheer fills up the living room. Which means it’s time for your auntie Pop Corner to reflect on the year that’s passed. And above all, 2015 was the year when our pop stars got honest.
In March, we donned a black velvet band when Zayn left One Direction. The message came via a diplomatic Facebook status update, with Zayn beginning “My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band.”
But in November, Zayn opened up further to Fader, explaining that he never really felt One Direction was for him. "I guess I just wanted to go home from the beginning . . . I was always thinking it. I just didn't know when I was going to do it. Then by the time I decided to go, it just felt right on that day."
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Meanwhile, Taylor Swift spent the year being honest about her past, while still being canny about her future. She made a decision to take the focus off her relationships, telling Vogue "I was really irritated by the whole serial-dater play that people tried to make about me. I just decided I wasn't willing to provide them that kind of entertainment anymore. I wasn't going to go out on dates and have them be allowed to take pictures and say whatever they wanted about our body language. I wasn't going to sit next to somebody and flirt with them for five minutes, because I know the next day he'll be rumoured to be my boyfriend."
Instead, she turned to Instagram, promoting her #girlsquad at every chance. She even used 'gram to beat the paparazzi at their own game. When she realised she had been clocked wearing a bikini on a boat with Haim, Taylor took the pic herself and uploaded it – reasoning that her own pose would be better than a zoom lens.
Reclaiming image
Another popstar who turned to Instagram honesty to reclaim their image was ponytail enthusiast Ariana Grande. In July this year Ari was caught up in a doughnut licking controversy. The phrase “doughnut licking controversy” probably explains itself, but just in case, we’ll elaborate. Ari was caught on CCTV leaning over a bakery counter and licking some doughnuts, and saying that she hated America, while the bakery assistant’s back was turned. A YouTube apology was issued, but the real work came below the line. She spent the year going deep on Instagram comments – fighting back against body negativity and more.
On Twitter she backed up other celebrity women, tweeting: “You know what is not sexy? Misogyny, objectifying, labeling, comparing and body shaming! Talking about people’s bodies as if they’re on display asking for your approval/opinion.They are not! Celebrate yourself!” The masterstroke came in early November, when Ariana shut down sexist comments during a radio interview, smoothly noting “you need a little brush on up on equality”.
This year, pop stars were honest about how they felt too. Justin Bieber owned up about his past, writing on Instagram that his mum had helped him end his “stupid phase”.
“This woman taught me everything I know, how to love how to be compassionate how to be strong when the only thing u wanna be is weak how to stand when all you want to do is fall. If it wasn’t for this woman let’s just say I would have had a way LONGER stupid phase. I love u and thank u for not giving up on me!”
Fame
But Justin was also candid about the pressures of fame.
He told NME: "I just want people to know I'm human. I'm struggling just to get through the days. I think a lot of people are. You get lonely, you know, when you're on the road. People see the glam and the amazing stuff, but they don't know the other side. This life can rip you apart."
And though 5 Seconds of Summer had their biggest year yet, they remained honest about their mental health. While on tour in Detroit, Michael 5SOS was frank on stage. He told the crowd: “I was fixing some problems with my mental health. I just saw a therapist real quick on the break we had.” Fans responded swiftly, tweeting their support, using the hashtag #weloveyoumichael.
Even megastar Lady Gaga opened up, telling Billboard "I've suffered through depression and anxiety my entire life, I still suffer with it every single day. I just want these kids to know that that depth that they feel as human beings is normal. We were born that way. This modern thing, where everyone is feeling shallow and less connected? That's not human."
Feeling awkward The music got more honest too. Take Alessia Cara's breakout hit Here – a Portishead-sampling low-key jam all about feeling awkward at a party. Or even the Snakehips and Tinashe banger All My Friends, which seems to raise a glass to the sky, but is actually about what a drag it is when your friends are hammered.
And what about Nick Jonas, whose apologetic jealousy took him all the way to number one? Meanwhile, Ellie Goulding gave as good as she got with a past boyf in On My Mind, singing "you wanted my heart, but I just liked your tattoos".
This year in pop was about showing that being honest means you could reach out for support.
Demi Lovato took this to the extreme by posing for a make-up free, photoshop-free nude shoot for Vanity Fair. After years of body image issues, she was ready to show that there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
She explained “I thought there was something incredible about the idea of no makeup whatsoever, no clothes and no retouching. I would have never thought that I would’ve ever gotten to a place in my life where I could feel comfortable doing that.”
She went on: “It’s empowering, and it shows other women you can get to a place where you can overcome the obstacles of body image issues and you can feel comfortable and confident in your skin.”
Essentially, pop showed us that even if you feel alone, you’re not. As Major Lazer sang this year, “everybody needs someone to lean on”.
