As the new era of MARINA draws closer—cemented by the key details of the album’s title (Princess of Power) and release date (June 6th)—the rollout of more singles is a given. And the latest she has to offer is particularly, well, cunty. More specifically, it’s “Cuntissimo.” A word so fabulous that it’s a wonder no one thought to, like, invent it before MARINA came along to point out how obvious it is that we all need it in our lives. Though, of course, the Italians are owed a great debt (as usual) for inspiring MARINA to use one of their most beloved suffixes for a word that has started to lose its gravitas thanks to general overuse (to paraphrase a sentiment from Mean Girls, “Hey, that’s only okay when the Brits say it”).
And, speaking of Italy, MARINA pays homage not only women who “live life to the max,” but also to the country (cuntry?) itself. Or at least, a precise part of it. This done via the lyrics, “Yeah, we go to Lake Como/Then we take over a chateau” (here it must be said that the more preferable [and accurate] rhyme would have been castello). So it makes sense that MARINA would film the video in Lake Como, with portions shot at the Villa Balbianello. And yes, taking over a “chateau” is exactly what MARINA does at the outset of the Olivia de Camps-directed video, with the Princess of Power and her coterie of fellow bad bitches (played by Mi’Jon, Maria Reale, Kandeyce Jordan and Edie Kahula Pereira) breaking and entering into a villa (courtesy of MARINA’s trusty hairpin to pick the lock). Because if you’re not rich to begin with, well, you’ll simply have to carve out the life you deserve some other way (just ask Maxine Minx).
With opening notes that give off more than a slight tinge of the same ones that commence “Alejandro” by Lady Gaga, the beat quickly drops to reveal an extremely up-tempo rhythm (even more so than the fastest-paced tracks on MARINA’s last album, Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land). Co-produced once again by CJ Baran (as is also the case for “Butterfly” and “Cupid’s Girl”), it’s that rhythm which drives the cuntissimo mood of the song. For yes, while the lyrics are key to serving cunt, the music itself is part of what embodies the aura of no-fucks-given confidence that MARINA has cultivated. And that cultivation all really began through the guise of an alter ego named Electra Heart (also the title of her 2012 sophomore album). Still the era that fans and casual listeners alike remain perennially “obsessed” with. Which is why MARINA chose to throw them a bone by swapping out Electra Heart’s heart on the cheek flourish in favor of a star (though it doesn’t stay there for very long—MARINA just happens to know that whenever she goes blonde, the fans crave an Electra H. reference).
Without a doubt, a star is what this Princess of Power wants you to know she is, declaring as much in the opening verse with, “Ah, I’m a star, I’m a star, I’m a star [on a related note: Pearl [de facto, the abovementioned Maxine] is also cuntissimo]/I’ll be shining wherever you are/I’m a star, I’m a star, I’m a star/You’re so close to me, but I’m so far/It’s the power when I’m walkin’/On the streets, sweet talkin’.” However, it’s apparent that being “cuntissimo” involves no sweet talking whatsoever, least of all to exes and current pursuers alike, with MARINA echoing Dua Lipa on “New Rules” when she warns, “Your ex is hitting you up/But you no longer give a fuck (cuntissimo)/Leaving that loser on read (cu-cuntissimo)/Don’t let him back in your bed/(cuntissimo)/‘Cause your energy’s precious.” And then, as though to remind everyone that Electra Heart never left, MARINA adds, “Not your fault he fell in love” (it smacks of a lyric that could have appeared on “How to Be a Heartbreaker”).
As the antics in the “chateau” they’ve infiltrated start to escalate—feathers flying everywhere from a pillow fight (plus the baroque/Regency-era aesthetic) also channel PinkPantheress’ recent video for “Tonight”—it’s clear that MARINA is letting the Marie Antoinette hairstyle and fashion inspo get to her head, fully embracing the cuntissimo personality of such a figure (indeed, this feels like MARINA’s homage to Sofia Coppola’s 2006 movie [and also a bit of an homage to her 2013 movie, The Bling Ring]; she may very well be gunning for a remake of it with herself in the starring role [another song title from Electra Heart]). Though, funnily enough, Antoinette (or Kirsten Dunst as Antoinette) didn’t appear among the images MARINA used to tease the single. Doing so by posting various images of the women who served as her mood board for this song (MARINA is known for loving a mood board when it comes to the early phases of her conceptualization).
Among the first in her slideshow (after herself, of course) is, who else, Salma Hayek on the beach (to honor the lyric, “Salma Hayek in the sun”). Followed by Sophia Loren, Madonna (from her The Immaculate Collection photoshoot, a cigarette perched between her then recently filler’d lips), Eartha Kitt, Thelma and Louise (name-checked in the song), Rihanna, Jamie Lee Curtis (reading Playgirl) and, finally, another image of Salma Hayek on the beach. To MARINA (and anyone else with good sense), these are the key women who embody “cunt…issimo.” Though one is surprised that Zsa Zsa Gabor didn’t make the cut, considering a line like, “Push-up bra in my diamonds/Gift from my ex-husband.” And yes, the single is very much giving “in my chic divorcée era.” Except that MARINA knew better than to ever get married in the first place (in addition to being consciously child-free). Hence, a line like, “They say that I should settle down/But I don’t wanna.” An indication that the Princess of Power is as much MARINA as she is an alter ego (or “id,” if you prefer).
Though it’s evident that MARINA is taking on some other well-worn alter egos too, giving major Gwen Stefani in her “What You Waiting For?” era meets Marie Antoinette meets Emma Stone as Cruella—complete with getting one of her high-fashion dresses spray-painted during the midpoint of the video. The word eventually spelled out? P.O.P. (for MARINA cleverly decided to name her album something—Princess of Power—that would create that acronym). To be sure, “Cuntissimo” is such a pastiche of styles (both sonically and visually) that it overwhelms the senses. Something Madonna has never been afraid to do, which is why she, in turn, has been emulated repeatedly. And yes, MARINA has been especially influenced by her during this album cycle (see also: the “Butterfly” video).
Another example of that shows up on “Cuntissimo,” when she loosely quotes Madonna with, “I live the American life” (Madonna has a song called “American Life” during which she asserts, “American life/I live the American dream”—though it’s important to note that MARINA doesn’t say “dream” after “American,” instead assigning the former word to go after “Italian”—as in: “Italian dream”). What’s more, Madonna is of Italian descent, constantly singing the country’s praises—especially after celebrating yet another one of her birthdays there. So when MARINA announces, “I live the Italian dream/And it set me free, so let’s celebrate tonight,” it’s hard not to think of one of Madonna’s cuntissimo birthday parties in Puglia, Sicily, Portofino, etc.
Other visual callbacks to Madonna include the videos for “Hollywood” and “Like A Virgin” (MARINA even has a wedding dress aesthetic going on in her spray-painted “P.O.P” number), and the fact that Madonna is as known for recreating the Marie Antoinette look as she is the Marilyn Monroe one (though MARINA has expressed her own kind of Antoinette fascination on “Pink Convertible” via the lyrics, “Let them eat cake and keep our engines running/Not even Marie Antoinette could see the end was coming”). MARINA additionally manages to reference Madonna by calling out, of all the cigarette brands, Vogue, in the verse, “Ah, yeah, I’m sweet and I’m icy and strange/Indecisive, obsessive, I crave/A glass of ice-cold champagne/Smoke a Vogue out in the rain.” She also adds the oh so MARINA line, “I been living in a caftan/Do people still say ‘YOLO’?” After “Cuntissimo,” they surely will again.
And, apart from the numerous homages to “cunts” like Salma Hayek and Madonna (who was, funnily enough, joined recently by the former onstage in Mexico City during The Celebration Tour), there’s also plenty of mention about an ultimate cuntissimo duo: Thelma and Louise (their names inverted by MARINA as “Louise and Thelma on the run”). Considering the partner-in-crime-y nature of the video (even if there’s five women involved instead of just two), it makes sense. Along with MARINA touting toxic platonic love over toxic romantic love when she sings, “This ain’t no Bonnie and Clyde/But you can be my Thelma on the side” (which presumes MARINA prefers the Susan Sarandon role of Louise).
Needless to say, Thelma (or Louise) would certainly approve of the final scene of the video. During which MARINA continues to walk around in a corseted floor-length dress like she owns the joint (even though she broke in), traipsing through the wreckage of her good time like it ain’t no big deal. And really, it isn’t—“oh baby, it’s a way of life.”
[…] MARINA Brings Back Her Alter Ego Method on “Cuntissimo” […]