Matilda Grace Brings The Fun Back To Pop With ‘Cover Boy’

Matilda Grace clearly knows what makes pop music fun. Her latest single, ‘Cover Boy’, arrives with plenty of colour, confidence and a healthy dose of nostalgia, bringing together glossy synths, catchy melodies and the larger-than-life spirit of 80s and 90s pop.

It’s an easy track to get into, but there’s more going on than simply revisiting the sounds of the past. Grace takes inspiration from pop icons including Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, alongside the sleek new-wave sensibilities of Duran Duran and The Buggles, then gives those influences a contemporary polish. The result feels bright and familiar without becoming overly retro.

There’s also a playful story running through ‘Cover Boy’, centred on the idea of becoming the next magazine-cover star. It fits Grace’s approach perfectly: glamorous, cheeky and knowingly theatrical, with enough personality to make the song feel like part of a much bigger world. The accompanying video builds on that idea, bringing fashion and performance into the mix.

Following singles such as ‘Chemistry’ and ‘Tell Me Why’, this feels like another encouraging step forward for the young London artist. Her growing support from BBC Introducing, Apple Music and the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition suggests there is already plenty of interest around the project, and ‘Cover Boy’ gives that momentum another strong soundtrack.

Ultimately, this is pop music that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s exactly why it works. Matilda Grace sounds like an artist having fun with the possibilities of the genre while steadily figuring out where she fits within it. If ‘Cover Boy’ is any indication, she’s building a pop identity with plenty of room to grow.

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