Carly Rae Jepsen recently released her latest single off her forthcoming 2019 album, and while I might be a tad late to the party, I just can’t not talk about it. Incidentally, it’s called Party For One, and it’s about—yup, you guessed it—self-love. Just like Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next,” it’s about picking yourself up after a relationship, and reclaiming your independence and self-worth. But more than that, it’s—as Qweerist put it—“the new female masturbation anthem we’ve all been waiting for”—in reference to the not-so-subtle lyric: “If you don’t care about me / Making love to myself / Back on my beat.”
The music video which accompanies the upbeat track is equally fun and empowering. Directed by Bardia Zeinalli, the video features how Carly, along with several other characters, spend the night in a hotel. All of them are alone in their rooms, and we get to see how they make a party out of their me-time, sending the question that being alone doesn’t necessarily equate to being lonely. The video culminates with the building’s electricity going off, forcing them to gather in the lobby, where they all party for one together. Just so you understand how epic it is, here are some of the reactions.
If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, we’ve listed some of the reasons why the Internet can’t get over it.
Carly, of course
The pop star looking like Margot Tenenbaum, off doing a solo karaoke sesh in her Calvin Klein underwear, is a mood. Plus you could sense the whole video reflects her. As Bardia told Billboard, “She has a very distinct vision and is good at staying focused on what it needs to have—and it’s more of a feeling. She’s more like, ‘I want it to feel this way,’ versus, ‘I want it to look this way,’ or ‘I want it to be edited this way.’ It’s more of a reaction. It’s more emotional for her. She’s extremely authentic.”
Breadface cameo
When Carly enters the scene to check in her hotel room, she’s immediately greeted by Instagram sensation Breadface. Of this seemingly random cameo, Bardia explains, “She epitomizes what it means to be totally uninhibited, regardless of how it’s perceived or what it will mean to someone else, or whether it’s right or wrong, or if it’s uncomfortable. Right off the bat, she lets the viewer know, this is the kind of shit that’s gonna happen. It’s gonna get weird, and you’re gonna like it, and you’re gonna have a party for one.”
Spaghetti in the bathtub scene
For this project, Bardia revealed she and Carly had a lot of conversations about different scenarios in the video, and right from the start, there was one thing they agreed on: a bathtub scene. It’s clearly one of the highlights of the video, for most netizens. As to how it came about, Bardia shared, “We were like, ‘What can you eat in a tub that’s kind of gross, that’s not sad or sexy’ And then we were like, ‘Pasta and meatballs!’” Huh. That actually makes sense.
Diversity party
One of the reasons why we love Carly is that she’s all for representing the marginalized; the misfits. That was a theme in this video, too. The cast features characters of all ages, races, and sexual orientations. From a middle-aged businessman, to heartbroken teenagers, to my personal favorite: The fabulous granny in her sexy underwear, marveling at a dildo and a pearl thong.
Mark Kanemura graces us with his presence
Carly and Mark. Now, that’s a partnership we’re a hundred percent behind. Remember when he danced on stage for one of her recent concerts, completely surprising the audience? That was wild. This time, we see Mark fiercely dancing his heart out, while wearing only briefs, socks, and a shower cap. Obvi.
Art by Marian Hukom
For the latest in culture, fashion, beauty, and celebrities, subscribe to our weekly newsletter here
Follow Preen on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Viber
Related stories:
5 times Carly Rae Jepsen proved she deserves the title queen
A Valentine’s Day playlist for every relationship
4 reasons why Carly Rae Jepsen is the pop star you deserve
Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson addressed their breakup the mature way