How Slayyyter Became 2026’s Breakout Pop Star

Slayyyter, who became one of 2026’s breakout pop stars with the release of her third studio album “Worst Girl in America” and a viral Coachella set, sat down with Joe and Jon to discuss her slow-simmer career arc, why preexisting pop-star formats didn’t hang well on her shoulders, and how mainstream pop classics and forgotten pop detritus can be equally influential. 00:00 Intro 1:01 Realizing she was having a breakout moment 3:33 Slayyyter defines “iPod music” 8:14 Why she hates “taste peacocking” 11:57 Getting interest from her label + not giving up 14:51 Being a “cookie monster pajama pants girl” in high school 17:09 Using her life experiences to inform her visuals 20:50 Her tumblr beginnings + learning how to creative direct 25:33 Trusting her label vs. trusting her gut 28:30 Reflecting on “Starfucker” and “Troubled Paradise” 32:01 Being a “cool cult pop star” vs. mainstream ambitions 40:19 Reflecting on her Coachella performance 45:15 Getting advice from Courtney Love 46:49 Popcast’s Lightning Round 53:10 Snack time! Follow Jon: https://twitter.com/joncaramanica https://www.instagram.com/joncaramanica Follow Joe: https://twitter.com/joecoscarelli https://www.instagram.com/joecoscarelli/ Listen to every Popcast ever https://www.nytimes.com/popcast Every episode of Popcast (Deluxe) on YouTube https://tinyurl.com/PopcastDeluxe Popcast Discord! https://tinyurl.com/PopcastDiscord Popcast Facebook! https://tinyurl.com/PopcastFacebook Popcast t-shirts & stickers http://itsthepopcast.myshopify.com Subscribe: http://bit.ly/U8Ys7n More from The New York Times Video: http://nytimes.com/video