Photo Credit: Lizzie Steimer (@lizziesteimer)
By Alissa Arunarsirakul // February 20, 2020
Just like the general millennial population, Maddie Jay deals with everyday issues like fake friends and destructive relationships. Widely known for her undeniable bass skills, Jay fuses aspects of psychedelic rock and lo-fi hip hop together to create an idiosyncratic amalgamation we can hardly believe is possible.
On “The Peanut Butter Song,” Maddie Jay shared,
“‘The Peanut Butter Song’ came to be while I was trying to find a way to describe some toxic relationships in my life. They can be so hard to spot, and in fact a lot of red flags can come across as super appealing right off the bat. Things like ‘You are so unhappy/unorganized, let me help you get your life together’ or ‘I want to help you with your career!’”
Jay is fully aware of the phoniness that goes on in our daily lives and it’s finally time she calls them out in “The Peanut Butter Song.” Always searching for quirky ways to discuss serious topics, Jay uses peanut butter as a metaphor for the manipulative people who will say whatever it takes to gain the upper hand in the relationship. Along with the unforgettable track comes an easy-to-watch video in which peanut butter is personified to be the very person Jay describes in the song.
“It all sounds great at first, but there can be some really manipulative and controlling behaviors tied in with that kind of stuff. It’s like when people fall prey to health trends and healthy looking packaging, but in reality what they are eating is PACKED with sugar and is soo bad for you. I like finding silly ways to talk about serious things.”
The Hidden Hits 