Naarm/Melbourne artist Margo Mann has really impressed me with her latest single “Not Love.” Its bouncy melody is an absolute earworm, but it’s much more than just a fun indie-pop song. The lyrics, which reflect on a relationship with someone more in love with the idea of their partner than the person they actually are, are fantastic. They’re so biting, witty, and insightful.
“’Not Love’ is a song I wrote after being in a situationship with someone who told me they believed they were more ‘spiritually enlightened’ than I was. They were probably right about that at the time, but what the comment also revealed to me was how toxic masculinity can sometimes masquerade as this brand of new-age enlightenment,” she explained.
“Not Love” comes from Margo Mann’s upcoming album Love Is a Dog, which she says “was forged from a time of absolute questioning and unravelling. A time where I hadn’t quite reassembled myself properly. But equally, it was born out of an attempt at ruthless self-trust.” Listen out for it when it’s released on October 16.
Photo credit: James Morris