There’s something almost defiant about making pure pop music in 2025. Not the self-aware, irony-laden version we’ve gotten used to, but the real thing—glossy, unapologetic, built for maximum earworm potential. Victoria Johnson gets this. Her debut single “Crush” and its follow-up “Think About It” don’t apologize for what they are: sugar-rush anthems that sound like they were beamed in directly from 2003, when pop stars wore low-rise jeans without explanation and nobody questioned why every music video needed a choreographed dance break.
What’s compelling about Johnson’s approach is how she doesn’t just mimic the Y2K era; she actually understands what made it work. Both tracks channel that specific blend of confidence and playfulness that defined peak Britney and Gwen Stefani, but there’s a modern sharpness to the production that keeps it from feeling like pure nostalgia bait.
“Crush,” which runs just over three minutes, arrived on April 4th as Johnson’s introduction to the pop world. The track captures that particular brand of dismissive confidence that powered so many early-2000s hits—the kind where the protagonist is completely over someone who clearly isn’t getting the message. It’s bubbly without being saccharine, bold without trying too hard.
Her follow-up, “Think About It,” released September 12th, doubles down on this formula while showing growth. Clocking in just under three minutes, the track maintains that same unapologetic energy while demonstrating Johnson’s evolving vocal confidence. The production feels bigger, more assured—like she’s settling into exactly who she wants to be as an artist.
For those who caught her on season 22 of American Idol, none of this success comes as a surprise. Johnson showed that rare combination of vocal ability and genuine star presence that translates beyond reality TV. But here’s what’s interesting: rather than immediately chasing a music career post-show, she built her industry knowledge from behind the scenes.
Working as a social media manager for viral influencer @jodielangel (who boasts over 3.7 million followers), Johnson learned the mechanics of digital fame from a different angle. That experience shows in how she’s approaching her own artist project—there’s a savviness to her rollout that feels intentional rather than manufactured.
The artist has been open about her dream collaborators, name-dropping Britney Spears, Timbaland, and Tate McRae as her wishlist. It’s an interesting mix that speaks to her vision: honoring the pop legends who defined the sound she’s channeling while acknowledging contemporary artists who’ve successfully modernized it.
What sets Johnson apart isn’t just her ability to recreate a sound—plenty of artists are mining Y2K nostalgia right now. It’s how she inhabits that space with genuine enthusiasm rather than ironic distance. When you listen to “Crush” or “Think About It,” there’s no winking at the camera, no apologizing for the glossy production or unabashed pop sensibility.
Maybe that’s the real magic Johnson’s tapping into—not just the sound of Y2K pop, but its fearlessness. Back then, pop stars didn’t hedge their bets or add indie credibility disclaimers. They just made music designed to make people feel something immediate and electric. Twenty years later, Johnson’s reminding us why that mattered. Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is stop pretending you’re too cool to care about a perfect pop song.
