After spending what Slayyyter described as her “ninth year on the up and coming list”, her third studio album ‘WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA’ marks an arrival for the electropop star. A darling of the alt-electronic scene, Slayyyter set out to make this album evoke what she calls “iPod music”, a sound that captures the musical aesthetics of the naughties, where punk rock meets electropop blasted through cheap corded earbuds.
The first track ‘DANCE…’ welcomes us to the sonic world of Slayyyter’s latest evolution. At its core, this music was made to be blasted in clubs, and the opening track sets this intention out clearly with trance inducing slurred vocals. The following song ‘BEAT UP CHANNEL$’, follows like a punch to the gut. The lead single from the album, Slayyyter recites a party-girl shopping list that encapsulates American hedonism: “Money, drugs, chains on my chest, that vintage Celine / Diamond grills, champagne bottles, swagger I bleed”. The track acts as an embrace of the sleaziest corners of fame, juxtaposed visually by the gritty, trashy punk of trailer-park Missouri. Since its release in August 2025 the single has continued to be a club anthem, blasting out of the coolest bars across the UK.
‘CANNIBALISM!’ is Slayyyter’s magnum opus. Each song on the 14 track album is accompanied by a music video, creating a vivid visual world for the ‘WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA’ era. Also hailing from Missouri, Slayyyter offers a sinister parallel to Chapell Roan’s “midwest princess” show girl aesthetic. Sequins, blood, oil and spit all mingle in the kaleidoscopic ‘CANNIBALISM!’ music video. Featuring live instrumentation that lends a rockier edge to Slayyyter's usually electronic sound, the expertly produced track is unmistakably hers. Perhaps the crowning achievement of this album is the lovingly crafted sonic language that is synonymous with Slayyyter's art. When one of these tracks plays in the club, you immediately know its hers.
The next two tracks ‘OLD TECHNOLOGY’ and ‘CRANK’ come as a pair. The former refers to iPods, alluding to the sonic inspiration for the album as well as the current move toward the “analogue” as a response to our hyper-online existence. “Old Technology” could also refer to the use of drugs as unnaturally augmenting our experiences, something humans have been doing for thousands of years, as she tells the listener “I’m doing drugs tonight / Ones that I’m not prescribed". After “Cranking-up” in ‘OLD TECHNOLOGY’, we are then treated to the following song ‘CRANK’, with influences of electro-clash that act as the musical embodiment of a huge bender. ‘CRANK’ also demonstrates Slayyyter’s brilliant lyrical wit, with one-liners such as “I get so gay off that tequila” and “crank it”” becoming online memes made by Slayyyter’s affectionately feral fanbase.
These first five songs acted as singles for the album. After a run of iconic, dance inspired tracks we have ‘GAS STATION’. Inspired by an argument with her father which resulted in him leaving her at a gas station, the song explores how her relationship with her father impacts her romantic relationships. Despite the party girl aura of many of these tracks, there is a lot of vulnerability on this album. Deeply personal moments like ‘GAS STATION’ tinge the corners of songs like ‘CRANK’ with the question of why the worst girl in America is drinking, why she is the way that she is.
Driving guitars bring the confronting vibe back to the album with ‘YES GODDD’. With screamo vocals and a driving electronic pulse, the track is dark, gritty and one of the more industrial songs on the album evoking Lady Gaga’s ‘Swine’. The following track, ‘UNKOWN LOVERZ’, uses the visual motif of a merry-go-round to highlight the cyclical nature of a mutually destructive relationship where they indulge in each other's worst habits, explored lyrically with the line “He's rolling cigarettes up and I'm rolling off his molly”. The breathless refrain “it’s love, it’s love, it’s love”, reflects her attempts at self-reassurance despite the toxicity of the relationship as he ignores her calls. The song features a more mainstream pop sound, with a pink tinged music video representing the romanticised version of the relationship Slayyyter has built in her head, despite him “pushing” her away.
The ultra processed vocals on ‘OLD FLING$’ evokes a phone call with her man’s ex-girlfriend, confronting her on why she keeps showing up at parties but never having the nerve to say hi to Slayyyter. Despite the confrontational nature of the lyrics, evidence of Slayyyter’s own insecurities seeps into the lyrics, for example, “ Wait your name / Did come up a few times, but he said you're not comparing to / me”. Slayyyter’s relationship anxieties make for a relatable listen, addressing the feelings that come from the unwelcome presence of a partner's ex.
Slayyyter’s fearless confidence is restored in the following track, ‘I’M ACTUALLY KIND OF FAMOUS’. The Spoken word track is dripping with attitude on top of a thumping, house-inspired bassline. The song is a certified banger. The vibe is continued into the uptempo ‘$T LOSER’. The title is a play on her hometown St Louis, and her feelings of being neglected based on where she's from. Lyrically, Slayyyter sneers at a man “so pretentious, looking down at my St Loser misery”, and features a musical and lyrical callback to ‘BEAT UP CHANNEL$’. The use of layered vocals on the reference, “Money, drugs, chains on my chest”, evokes the idea of a crowd singing along, evidence of her overcoming her small-town shackles and making it as a star despite the man’s prejudice. The outro features soaring vocals, demonstrating Slayyyter's ability not just as a great songwriter and producer, but a great singer too.
Before making this album, Slayyyter wondered if the album might be her last, giving a certain poignancy to the lyrics “I’m gonna go out like a star / they’ll all be sorry”, on the track ‘WHAT IS IT LIKED, TO BE LIKED?’. After spending years waiting for her big break, it’s understandable that Slayyyter wished to stop. But thank goodness she didn’t. Despite her feeling like a misfit, much like other messy icons of the 2000s, there is something so lovable in the rough edges of Slayyyter and her trajectory to mainstream appeal.
Preceded by the short interlude ‘*PRAYER*’, the final track is ‘BRITTANY MURPHY'. begins. The actress was an icon for Slayyyter and died tragically at just 32. The lyrics of the track discuss suicidal thoughts, with Slayyyter describing what she wants for her legacy and her funeral. The dark song is juxtaposed by an oddly upbeat pop accompaniment, representing the darkness that lurks just beneath the veneer of fame. The song likens Slayyyter’s departure from the music industry to a form of death, as well as exploring her own very real struggle with depression.
Despite acting as a fitting eulogy for a could-have-been main pop girly's career, this is not the end for Slayyyter. In fact, this is just the beginning for the Missouri singer, who enters this new chapter in her career. Although many listeners are late to the party, with this triumph of a record, the star has finally arrived. With sold-out shows across America and Europe, there is no doubt that Slayyyter will dominate this Summer. Without a doubt, the worst girl in America has released one of the best albums of 2026.
Kate South
Image: ‘WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA’ Official Album Cover