The theme of this single is similar to ‘Lucky’ by Britney Spears, where fame looks captivating, but the reality is much lonelier than expected. It also aligns with ‘Hey Ya!’ by Andre 3000, specifically the disconnect from artist to fan, “Ya’ll don't wanna hear me, you just wanna dance”. Petras' song taps into this aesthetic of performing for an audience, even if it consumes the person behind it.
That idea is escalated as the song moves forward, “Next look, tour non-stop, I’m a pop star. / Pour Pink Sugar on me, hurry up, I gotta leave. My label yelling in my ear, yeah”. Her pen game is most efficient here. She is everywhere at once, but there's no indication that she is actually present at the moment. It mirrors the reality of being on the move constantly but never getting a chance to breathe in the moment.
This message is also reinforced by the visuals: the official music video turns her world into a loop of performances with quick cuts and constant styling and an “image” that takes over identity. By the final stretch, the track drops the hyper-fast persona entirely, closing with, “Time’s almost up, don’t wait too long or you’ll lose me. / You really don’t know me, no one really knows me.” ‘Need For Speed’ sharpens the message that with high performance and low emotional stability, there's a trade-off that artists can fall into if they are not careful.
Kierra White
Image: Cameron Driskill
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