HorsegiirL
- Happy Hardcore
- UK hardcore
- DJ
- singer
- songwriter
HorsegiirL is a pseudonymous German DJ, singer, and songwriter who hides her identity behind a horse head mask. Her 2023 single "My Barn My Rules", which became a popular sound on TikTok, attracted attention after Arielle Free was suspended from BBC Radio 1 for a week for decrying it on air, and later appeared on Dazed's "20 best tracks of 2023" list.
Life and career
HorsegiirL hides her identity behind a chestnut-coloured horse head mask;[1] Daniel Rodgers of Vogue wrote in November 2023 of being shackled by an "NDNeigh" to not ask "serious, journalistic questions about [her] provenance [or] distinct biological make-up", but noted that she was Berlin-based and that she had described herself as "half-horse, half-human".[2] She told i-D in September 2023 that she uses the real name "Stella Stallion", grew up on "Sunshine Farms", and had gone from "making up my own melodies in my head when I was a young foal" to being "discovered by Whitney Horston at a harvest fest" as a teenager,[1] and she told Rodgers that she had "been famous for a while" and that she had listened to the likes of Crazy Frog and Hampton the Hamster growing up.[2] In addition, a February 2024 ABC News article described her as a "Black woman/horse/DJ", and of Mustang and Haflinger descent on her equine side.[3]
Her debut single, "Harvest Heartbreak",[3] featured Baugruppe90,[4] a duo composed of Louis Köhler and Paul Vogler.[5] In 2022, she released "Farm Fantasies", and that December she released "Pegasus", a futurepop song written about the day she first met her collaborator.[6] She and MCR-T then released "My Barn My Rules" in January 2023, which became a popular sound on TikTok several months later,[7] by which time she had released "Praise the Farm"[8] and then the three-track "Farm Fatale", which included "Praise the Farm" and contained songs about her leaving her farm and moving to a city.[9] Charlie Hedges played "My Barn My Rules" during her 30 July 2023 episode of BBC Radio 1's Dance Anthems Ibiza, which attracted attention after Arielle Free, who was guesting on the programme, expressed her disapproval of the song on air, prompting Hedges to deactivate her microphone in annoyance.[10] Radio 1 subsequently suspended Free from the station for a week.[11] The success of "My Barn My Rules" prompted HorsegiirL to release a video for the single in September 2023;[12] later that year, the song appeared on Dazed's "20 best tracks of 2023" list.[13]
In October 2023, she released "F0rbiidden L0ve$tory", which interpolated Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi"[14] and was inspired by opinions of her parents' romance;[15] the following December, she released "Wish ✮⋆˙", a Christmas song accompanied by a video.[16] Struggling with the attention she was receiving, she went on holiday in Ecuador, staying near Cotopaxi, and attended an ayahuasca ceremony; after returning home, she released "Obsessed" in April 2024, which described infatuation, and was produced by A. G. Cook and Tom Demac.[17]
Artistry
HorsegiirL refers to her fans as "farmies".[18] In October 2023, Interview magazine described her musical style as happy hardcore,[19] and in February 2024, Arielle Richards of Vice described "My Barn My Rules" as "yeehaw-meets-hardstyle" and a sample of a European set she had seen on TikTok as gabber.[20] In addition, Shahzaib Hussain of Clash described "Obsessed" as a combination of "synthetic pop" and eurotrance.[17] HorsegiirL told Rodgers that she took inspiration from the "extra-ness" of Lady Gaga, Dolly Parton, and heavy hardcore.[2]
Discography
Singles
Title | Year | Release details |
---|---|---|
"Harvest Heartbreak"[21] (featuring Baugruppe90) | 2022 | Non-EP singles |
"Starsiigns"[22] | ||
"Pegasus"[23] | ||
"Praise the Farm"[24] | 2023 | |
"Farm Fatale"[25] | ||
"F0rbiidden L0ve$tory"[26] | ||
"Wish ✮⋆˙"[27] | ||
"Obsessed"[25] | 2024 |
As featured artist
Title | Year | Extended play |
---|---|---|
"Farm Fantasies"[28] (MCR-T featuring Horsegiirl) | 2022 | Non-EP single |
"My Barn My Rules"[25] (MCR-T featuring Horsegiirl) | 2023 |
References
- ^ a b Jolley, Ben. "horsegiirL is more than just a one-trick pony". i-d.vice.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Rodgers, Daniel (12 November 2023). "From Barnyard To Berghain: Fashion's Next Big Thing Is A Horse Turned DJ". Vogue. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Were you a Saddle Club kid? Good news: the horse girl is having a resurgence". ABC News. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ "Loud Cave Selection #325: Best of 2022". Loud Cave. 26 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ "New Faces: Baugruppe90". Electronicgroove.com. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ Murray, Robin (5 December 2022). "horsegiirL's 'Pegasus' Is Truly Remarkable | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Wallace, Megan (22 December 2023). "Barn Rules: from the club to the farm, horsegiirL's vision has neigh limits". GAY TIMES. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ "horsegiirL announces debut EP 'Farm Fatale' with single 'Praise The Farm • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "'Farm Fatale' Review: horsegiirL Gallops On | Arts | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Wilkes, Emma (August 2023). "BBC Radio 1 presenter Arielle Free taken off air after disapproving of another DJ's choice of music". NME. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ Duran, Anagricel (8 August 2023). "BBC Radio 1 presenter Arielle Free returns on air following suspension". NME. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "horsegiirL & MCR-T share video for viral hit 'My Barn My Rules' • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Dazed (13 December 2023). "The 20 best tracks of 2023". Dazed. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "horsegiirL releases new single 'f0rbiidden l0ve$tory'". Mixmag. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "In conversation with HorsegiirL". GLAMCULT.COM. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "horsegiirL shares heartfelt Christmas single + video 'Wish' • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ a b Hussain, Shahzaib (5 April 2024). "horsegiirL's 'Obsessed' Leans Into Sped-Up Dancecore | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ Keeling, Ryan (3 November 2023). "We studied DJs who are social media masters: Here's what we learned". Pioneer DJ. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ "HorsegiirL Brings All The Boys to the Barn". 4 December 2023. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ Richards, Arielle (6 February 2024). "'Do Not Wear Skinny Jeans': horsegiirL on Donk, Doof Sticks and Ketamine". Vice. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ Harvest Heartbreak (feat. BAUGRUPPE90) – Single by horsegiirL, 18 February 2022, retrieved 7 December 2023
- ^ Starsiigns – Single by horsegiirL, 5 August 2022, retrieved 7 December 2023
- ^ Pegasus – Single by horsegiirL, 2 December 2022, retrieved 7 December 2023
- ^ Praise the Farm – Single by horsegiirL, 10 February 2023, retrieved 7 December 2023
- ^ a b c "HorsegiirL – Discography". Spotify. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ f0rbiidden l0ve$tory – Single by horsegiirL, 25 October 2023, retrieved 7 December 2023
- ^ Wish ✮⋆˙ – Single by horsegiirL, 5 December 2023, retrieved 7 December 2023
- ^ Farm Fantasies – Single by MCR-T & horsegiirL, 4 March 2022, retrieved 7 December 2023