A Standing Ovation for LUNA AURA
By Sierra Walsh
Creeps and cryptids, prepare yourselves for the Bloody Pageant Queen we have all needed. 2020’s Libra Season presents the gory and gorgeous LUNA AURA and her EP, THREE CHEERS FOR THE AMERICAN BEAUTY. The EP encompasses a different perspective of beauty, exploring the taboo aspects of femininity such as sexuality, and overall finding empowerment in her own definition of being a woman. Familiar emotions such as having “your touch on the back of my mind” are overshadowed by self-love, as heard in “CRASH DIVE.” Even though the EP starts off with thinking about somebody, LUNA AURA punctures what would have been an “I Miss You” track with “can you keep up with me in overdrive?” No questions as to whether or not the other person is thinking of her are unanswered by the end of the track, then launching the listener into a wild joy ride of confidence and empowerment.
Regardless as to whether or not you’re ready for a girl like her, you’ll feel her sting. Paper magazine raved about her single “HONEY,” which you can catch on her Insta, @itslunaaura. The high energy pulses from “HONEY” right into “TALKING TO ME,” which is arguably the most feminist and empowering track on the EP. After setting up the “you knew you weren’t ready for a girl like me” and establishing that she is a force to be reckoned with in “HONEY,” her single “TALKING TO ME” encompasses the entirety of her message. The simple, “I’m not your little girl/I’m not your friend/can’t tell me what I am/can’t tell me shit” obliterates both the notions that she will accommodate to someone’s expectations and the assumption she’ll stick around to listen to what they are in the first place.
While the message of “I can and will do whatever I want” is nothing new and can be found in numerous empowerment anthems (take “Kings and Queens” by Ava Max for instance), LUNA AURA doesn’t need to explain why she is a powerful woman. She proclaims “you ain’t talking to me” as a way to not only establish she isn’t listening to someone’s expectations of her, but to also show how she refuses to be a part of the target demographic by establishing herself as the dominate force in the conversation. This approach includes being secure in herself to the point where no one will bother projecting an image onto her because of the powerful way she carries herself, fully confident in her abilities of massacring the norms before they have a chance to cement themselves in her vicinity.
Perhaps this is why someone’s “BABYDOLL” can’t take their eyes off her in the final track. She blazes a trail to empowerment via machete and flame thrower, cutting down and burning anything that dares to fight against her mission. Of course there is room for coexistence; beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, after all. The point is, these numerous forms of beauty should never stem from someone else pushing their ideals or trying to live vicariously through you. While defining your own version of beauty and femininity requires a ton of self-reflection and analyzing what society presents as beautiful and womanly, it is a venture that pays off significantly. The constant evolution of beauty standards may feel like a rat race to perfection. Hopefully, there is comfort that LUNA AURA joins artist such as Gwen Stefani, Against Me!, and Ava Max who create art that channels what is beautiful and womanly to her. The results range from confidence to people looking up to her and then straightening their own crowns before obliterating harmful standards—whether it’s with a sharp tongue or a chainsaw.
Stay connected with LUNA AURA:
Website: https://lunaauramusic.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iLikeLuna/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lunaauramusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunasaladsandwich
