Pop It-girl, Kim Petras, debuted her upcoming single, “Coconuts,” live at the EMAs. While there, she made history by being the first trans popstar to perform on the main stage. Petras began her new era under the prestigious Republic Records, and the woo-ah sensation is slowly taking over the world.
“Coconuts” Reaction
Though the singer is a pop connoisseur at heart, she surprised fans with a more silly single, “Coconuts.” On social media, the reviews are unreadable: some miss her Euro-dance track sound, and others love its playfulness. To visualize its wacky energy, to promote “Coconuts,” Petras’s current Twitter banner is a childlike drawing of a tropical sunset. Although this promotion’s integrity, like her previous singles’ rollout, for this this new single it feels campy. The lackadaisical approach invites a humorous side of Kim. Sonically, the track has a tropical vibe similar to her summer hit, “Malibu.” However, this track, as previously said, is less about dance than it is flirtatious.
Let’s cut to the chase: “Coconuts” pays homage to Kim Petras’s breasts, a declaration of her love for them. With its context being very explicit through the performance’s moves, it upset some viewers, took to Twitter to thank her the EMAs, “Dreams come true Could not have done this without y’all ily @mtvema thank u for taking a stand against censorship !” So, maybe, there was more to say that people didn’t understand.
“Coconuts” Performance
Aesthetically, Kim Petras’s performance is reminiscent of Nicki Minaj‘s “Anaconda” music video. Kim starts inside a coconut, singing, “My coconuts, you can put ’em in your mouth”. Then, as she steps off the coconut, she clenches her boobs and says, “Just give em’ a squeeze.” Her electric green dress fits perfectly with the jungle/tropical-themed performance. Innuendos (relating to “her twins”) layer the track, like in the pre-chorus, “I give ’em different names / Mary Kate and Ashley”. Then, she stands in front of a juice bar, where dancers flank around her and gyrate as she praises her breast size, “Strawberry, mango, lime/ Don’t compare to these”.
The only playback is from background vocals, but the rest are live from Kim (and you can hear her breathing as well). She continues her innuendos while doing floor choreography, “Look at these margarit-ta-tas / Look at these margarit-ta-tas.” So, with all the activity around the stage, her stellar high notes are heaven-sent to the end. The visuals are a tropical dream in paradise with Kim Petras as the dessert and centerpiece.
“Hit It From The Back” Snippet
As the song ends, the performance transitions into a snippet of her other unreleased song, “Hit It From The Back.” To signify the change, she serves a sexy leather bodysuit. People who missed the Euro-dance Kim– this one is for you! Here, the track is dark and seductive. She sings, “You and I could be in paradise / You and I, yeah, we could own the world.” Then, as she says the chorus line, “Baby, I’ma let you hit it from the back,” she pushes one across the stage. There, she prepares the iconic rope tug, where she and her dancers form a line and grind while holding a rope. With her lasting high notes, it is simply the perfect way to end the set.
Final Thoughts
Kim Petras delivered a powerful performance, where she challenged censorship alongside the EMAs. With live vocals and undeniable charisma, Petras is a born performer, and she will get better with time. There is no release date for her upcoming album yet. However, the single release of “Coconuts” will be available on January 21st, 2022. Pre-save for “Coconuts” is available here.
