Austin Mahone's new song is a far cry from his early hits like "Say Somethin" — and we mean that in the worst way. This week, the pop star released the video for his track "Send It" featuring hip-hop artist Rich Homie Quan. In the video, we watch a girl wearing next to nothing take sexy photos of herself. And the lyrics make it explicit that the song is about convincing a girl to send nude photos.
"Send it to my phone, send it to my phone / You already know I keep it on the low / Baby, you can trust me, promise I'm alone / I won't tell a soul, send it to my phone," Mahone sings in the chorus. Here is part of a guest verse sung by Rich Homie Quan: "Okay now send it to my phone like a message that's unread / Send it to my phone, new nude picture, open leg / Hope they ready / Austin Mahone got 'em motivated."
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
The problem here is with the song's target audience. Mahone is 20 years old; his massive fan base is largely made up of teenage girls. Releasing a song that blatantly encourages young women to take naked pictures of themselves and send them to boys is gross and irresponsible. Young women (and men) who idolize Mahone are hearing these words and watching these images. And the takeaway they're getting is: Take naked pictures of yourself, and boys will like you for it.
While the majority of Mahone's young fan base is tweeting out love for "Send It," some are calling out the singer for his message. People are calling the track "trashy," "disgusting," and "creepy." One person asked, "[Why] would anyone sing about pressuring a girl to send nudes to you?" Another tweeted, "I'm sorry, who thought this was a good idea? The lyrics are so creepy wtf." But the thing is, most Mahone fans are probably too busy jamming out to his new music to hear these important critiques.
@AustinMahone I am so disappointed! Like, when did the "What About Love" guy turn into a creepy fuck boy? I love you but send it just NO!
— Burrito (@SabrinaMimosi) September 15, 2016
.@AustinMahone's song asking girls to send him nudes is like the teen version of Blurred Lines. Except not catchy. https://t.co/KkiOfxpT2T
— Elisa Benson (@elisabenson) September 14, 2016
Austin Mahones ,,Send it" is disgusting, why would anyone sing about pressuring a girl to send nudes to you??? ?
— Katherine Mall (@KatherineMall) September 14, 2016
don't get me wrong i adore Austin mahone and i think he's super talented but his new single about sending nudes is trashy
— Sana (@SanaJustinB) September 15, 2016
@ThomasForonda like most clebrities out there he thinks that some half naked girls and sexual lyrcis is the defenition of envolving in music
— Sana (@SanaJustinB) September 15, 2016
@AustinMahone I'm sorry, who thought this was a good idea? The lyrics are so creepy wtf
— thora (@magneticabeyo) September 15, 2016