Multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Elise Trouw introduces a bold fictional alter ego on The Diary of Elon Lust, a concept album satirizing toxic masculinity.
According to Trouw, the fourteen-track album — which was released February 13th via Midtopia — is “part archetype, part confession, part cautionary tale.” It’s all sung from the perspective of Elon, Trouw’s Justin-Bieber-esque alter ego, a frat bro with a patchy moustache and many opinions about women. The character was inspired by “things men have said to Elise. Or to her friends. Or to you.”
“All You Need Is Lust”, the album’s first track and single, turns the classic Beatles song “All You Need Is Love” on its head, poking fun at Elon’s narcissistic, sex-obsessed persona. Over bubblegum-pop synth chords, Elon declares, “Blow a kiss to my haters / I’m the number one player.” The music video features trippy visuals, bizarrely costumed dancers, and Elon promising, “L-L-L-Lust/ All you need is lust.”
The second track, “The Perfect Girl,” dissects the impossible beauty standards for women. In the music video, Elon pieces together his ideal woman, Dr. Frankenstein style. “Georgia’s height and silhouette / With Emily’s face and Phoebe’s chest / Would make the perfect girl… Cuz there’s something special ‘bout every chick / If only I could choose and pick.” While the dreamy synth and gentle guitar make the song sound sweet, it’s clear the narrator couldn’t care less about the girls he lusts after — they’re just a collection of body parts to him.
The song, “You’re More Fun When You’re Drunk,” is genuinely creepy, with Elon telling a girl at a party, “You’re more cool with a few drinks inside of you / So when you say you’ve had enough / I’ma pour another one.” The narrator poses his insults as compliments, singing, “You’ve got a cool side / But without a drink / You’ve got a personality that everybody kinda hates.” At the end, the song turns into a sing-along, with all the partygoers joining in.
“Alphas are confident, dominant, charismatic, and natural leaders,” starts the second to last track, “Beta Male.” Elon swears he’s an alpha, not a beta, because he has “guns in his sleeves and bitches love me.” If that isn’t enough, he adds, “I’ve got smarts in my brain and power in my veins.”
Like the rest of the album, the song satirizes toxic masculinity, with this dreadful character representing all the men who treat women like objects and obsess over their manliness, not realizing that their gross behavior is exactly what women don’t want. It’s catchy enough to almost make you forget about the disturbing message.
“This album might feel like a big departure, but it’s the first time I’ve felt free in my songwriting —it’s my humor, my perspective on the world,” Trouw shares. “Even though these songs come from my own experiences, I hope people hear them and understand too.”
Trouw is in the thick of a U.S. tour promoting the new album, with the next show tonight in Cleveland at The Grog Shop.
