Pop’s Authenticity Crisis—Coco Jones Is Saying The Quiet Part Out Loud
Coco Jones' candid questions about her artistic identity have sparked a wider conversation: what does it take to succeed in today’s industry? As personality becomes as marketable as the music itself, authenticity is key. Writer Thomas Melia ponders the identity crisis that artists like Coco have been forced to confotnt.
Coco Jones in 2026. Image property of Universl Music.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with being an artist and meticulously choosing which areas of life you’re willing to share with the public. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s $20 million wedding—pop culture’s recent “Love Story”—taking place behind closed doors at world-renowned Madison Square Gardens before being projected on the side of the 22,000 seater venue sums this up perfectly.
Another example is pop-soul performer Adele’s approach. The Tottenham-hailed tearjerker has mastered the art of appearing in the spotlight every few years with an age-titled LP that has you sniffling through a box of tissues, before she vanishes before your puffy eyes. If it wasn’t apparent, knowing just how much to share, and just how much to share it, can be essential for a popstar.
Let’s cast our minds back to March, when R&B multihyphenate Coco Jones dropped “Luvagirl”—the intended lead single for her sophomore album and the first taste of new music from the star this year. Almost four months later, and with no follow-up track, the “ICU” singer-songwriter has shared a series of videos across her social media accounts. These introspective clips discuss her current career choices and flip her debut album’s moniker on itself—Why Not More?
In a video recently shared on X, the Tennessee vocalist revealed her personal and artistic frustrations, candidly stating: “I never came into this game knowing exactly what I would do”. She is sure of herself in one key aspect though—“I knew I could sing my ass off and that was pretty clear”. Her Grammy-winning track “ICU”, deluxe deep-cut “Easy” and viral rendition of “Put You On” performed for The Terrell Show are just some of the prime examples of Coco’s talent. Just look at the material.
The issue doesn’t seem to have anything to do with Jones’ vocal capabilities; instead she identifies concerns around her branding. “With this album I feel like the reception I’m getting out in the world is confusion… in the inner world it’s confusion [too].”
Scrolling through Jones’ social media may contribute more to those feelings of confusion. Her Instagram feed is packed with a plethora of promotional videos spanning an array of mismatched brands—from Grey Goose vodka to Trident gum, and Motorola to Laneige. The list goes on. Amidst this stream of advertisement, where is Coco? “My thing is letting people in… I stopped doing that for real”.
And when the exclusive preview of lead single “Luvagirl” was first dropped, fans were greeted with a snack-fronted snippet courtesy of Lays. One thing that remains omitted are personal videos of Coco, without a product in hand. This builds a sturdy wall between the songstress and her fans.
“My favorite part is making music, my least favorite part is marketing music. ... What do the people want? Versus what do I want? How do I not lose myself? Where is the balance?”
Jones’ confessional clips have captured the attention of musical peers like Durand Bernarr, who once found himself in a similar situation. He commented on Coco’s initial video, reflecting: “Whew, this was me in 2007-2015… literally ready to switch up everything to get in the door. I just needed the right support that knew what to do with me.”
Bernarr, the colourful artistic polymath, entered the music industry working as a backing vocalist for Erykah Badu (and still does) before carving a name for himself. He’s racked up vocal credits through his work for Anderson. Paak and The Internet, as well as working on three collaborations with Kaytranada.
When it came to artistry, Bernarr made the cautious-but-clever decision to incorporate his homosexuality into the music-making process. The singer-songwriter paired colourful curiosity with campness and comedic relief—and it paid off. His personality and spirit is front and centre in his artistry, and he’s finally getting his flowers, having won Best Progressive R&B Album for third LP BLOOM at this year’s Grammys.
Bernarr and Jones are just two of the many contemporary artists who have experienced such struggles. Take Chlöe and her candid reflections on a recent episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast. The vocal pop powerhouse opens up about the eight-month-halt on new material after doubts surrounding whether she could match the success of her debut single “Have Mercy”.
And some would say it’s inevitable that Normani’s debut album rollout would appear in this conversation, as that now-infamous series of tweets documented the six-year wait fans endured for a full project. It’s evident that capitalising on the moment is crucial.
Nowadays, the holy trinity of an album rollout is: quality music, clear branding and authenticity. Just look at Zara Larsson with her Euro-pop tracks, spray-paint tees and comedic timing. Chxrry has also mastered this art and is currently having her “Main Character” moment too—she’s dropping R&B and pop-trap melodies, sporting a mesh eye accessory and embodying a sexy party-girl persona.
“Nowadays, the holy trinity of an album rollout is: quality music, clear branding and authenticity.”
Ironically, the changes noted in Coco’s career all unfolded prior to the “Luvagirl” rollout as, consciously or not, her musical releases from 2022 until present have told this story. Coco’s fifth EP, labelled What I Didn’t Tell You, feels more confessional than her debut’s name Why Not More?, where the title feels more like a rhetoric than a solvable statement.
But Jones’ resilience is apparent as she responds to and is uplifted by the feedback following her candid moments. Coco may be in her “Luvagirl” era but she’s also discovering her businesswoman bag, and hopefully these music wins and the conversation taking place may just be the catalyst she needs to establish herself.
The current popularity of acts like Zara Larsson, Durand Bernarr and Chxrry may be a testament to their unapologetic, authenticity-first mindset. With full transparency now taking the wheel for Coco’s sophomore moodboard reset, this time it really is “On Sight”. And, if anyone fancies choreographing a viral “Crazy For Me” dance to kickstart Jones’ well-deserved R&B reign, be my guest.
Stream Coco Jones’ new track “Body So Tea” below: