Performative Male Music Epidemic

They can have their baggy jeans, tote bags and matcha, but they can’t touch my Clairo.

By Olivia Prieto 

Graphic by Catarina Koehler

To be performative, by definition, is to do something inauthentically, usually with the intention of impressing others. So when combining “performative” with “male,” what does that give us? The Performative Male, of course.

Being a performative male in 2025 can be distilled down to having stereotypically feminine hobbies or interests: drinking matcha, wearing baggy jeans, collecting Labubus and most notably, listening to a specific set of indie-female artists. Billboard Philippines even listed Clairo, Beabadobee, Laufey and Phoebe Bridgers in their  “Ultimate Performative Male Starter Pack.”

Why is liking these artists, as a man, controversial? On the surface, it seems rooted in the idea that these men have feminine interests. But exaggerated online stereotypes — men impractically carrying vinyls, clipping Labubus to oversized jeans, sipping matcha while acting effortlessly detached — reveal how much of it is a performance, not personal taste.  

This trend has taken the internet by storm. Hundreds of “Performative Male Contests” have popped up, making the concept more ironic than sincere. In 2024, men on TikTok posted captions like “Real men/Manly men listen to Clairo,” implying that traditionally masculine men can enjoy soft, bedroom-pop artists too. 

Now, however, the performative male has become a meme. It’s rare to see someone genuinely embody this archetype when so many are ironically chasing attention. There’s nothing inherently wrong with men liking female indie artists, especially since none of them claim their music is for girls only. The issue arises when the internet feels disingenuous. 

Indie music has always appealed to listeners who define themselves outside mainstream trends. The entire indie genre was created because artists wanted to release music independently with no major record labels. For this reason, artists such as Macklemore were granted the title of being “indie” for releasing music independently, despite not aligning with the modern-day sound associated with the genre. Therefore, because of this redirection away from pop music, the term “indie” branched out to more than just a genre; it became a redirection away from pop-culture trends entirely. 

People naturally want to feel unique. Music shapes identity, fosters community and gives us something meaningful to share. So, if someone seems to be listening for aesthetic points instead of genuine connection, it can spark frustration.

Why should men pretend to enjoy feminine interests if they don’t genuinely align with them? And why do some feel the need to adopt them for women’s attention in the first place? Artists should be embraced by everyone, regardless of gender. Music is universal — it shouldn’t exclude anyone or box listeners into stereotypes.

The performative male may be interpreted as inauthentic, but I believe it can be widely agreed upon that this epidemic of sorts has definitely created a sense of community within every corner of the internet.