A REVIEW By Piper Testa

  If I’m being honest, a majority of the songs I love I end up finding through reels and short videos on social media. “Rebel Child” by Dylan was one I just so happened to stumble upon after falling into the endless loop of scrolling, and I am very glad that I did. It has been playing nonstop and I can’t be more happy about it.

  “Rebel Child” is the type of song you listen to with your windows all the way down, belting out the lyrics. It has your feet tapping to the beat and head nodding along with a strut-worthy tempo and mind-boggling guitar prowess. It’s unabashedly free and confident, the lyrics and melody settling into your bones and getting stuck in your head.

  The 23-year-old artist is steadily rising in popularity amongst the pop and alternative genre and fanbase. According to Spotify’s “About the Artist,” alternative music and sounds influence Dylan’s music, despite settling into the pop genre. This influence helps her flippant characterization of herself as “a wannabe rock star in a pop star’s body.” This stands true for “Rebel Child” as well, the song having the same energy and feel as pop, yet the same wildness and freedom as rock. It has the guitar riffs to prove it.

  “Rebel Child”, much like the name may suggest, embraces individuality and expresses the navigation of one's own path outside of society's stereotypes or predisposed expectations. Just the name of the song alone hints to this. The dictionary defines rebellious as “defying or resisting some established authority, government, or tradition; insubordinate; inclined to rebel.” Thus, a rebel child refers to a child that refuses to listen to any authority figures.

  In this context, however, Dylan uses the term repeatedly to refer to herself as someone who does not conform to society.  The lyrics  “You fear the facts I'm young, I'm free” refers to society’s unease in her ability to freely express herself and who she is against  preset standards. Additionally, the lyrics, “Born to be a rebel, I won't lose,” describes how Dylan was born to stand against societal stereotypes and how she won’t back down. The message that Dylan sends with “Rebel Child” is very important, especially in the present day as people are becoming increasingly willing to express themselves and embrace their identities. Dylan’s song is one of many encouraging people and empowering them to do just that, and that's one of the reasons why I love listening to it. It's one of the reasons why I strongly encourage you to add it to your playlist.