Avril Lavigne's new video is just the latest cultural-appropriation atrocity

Avril Lavigne's new video is just the latest cultural-appropriation atrocity

In what is sadly just the latest in a long tradition of pop stars appropriating other cultures, Avril Lavigne has decided to swap out her "sk8r girl" vibe for a new, artificial, and totally "kawaii" one.

Avril's latest single, "Hello Kitty," is a pop-dubstep nightmare of nonsense in which the 29-year-old channels her inner Ke$ha and sing-talks about slumber parties and spin the bottle. In the video, the Canadian singer shouts random Japanese words, eats sushi, and roams the streets of Tokyo with her crew of all-Japanese backup dancers. The whole thing is a nauseating blend of juvenile lyrics and candy-colored visuals, with more than a dash of casual cultural appropriation thrown in. Watch it and decide for yourself. --Samantha Rollins

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Samantha Rollins

Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.