Teenagers usually know how to cut through the static and get right to the heart of an issue, and that’s at play here with “Looking For Trouble,” the epic new single from rising Sheffield pop artist Precious Pepala. Taking a cue from both Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful” and Courtney Barnett’s “Nameless, Faceless”, the 17-year-old’s latest centers around rape culture, victim blaming, and the universal fear women feel walking alone at night.
“Looking For Trouble” boasts a steady build towards an anthemic crescendo as Pepala drops sharp lyricisms about our miserable reality with a warm and inviting tone that belies her years: “She’s cold and she’s drunk / A little red riding her luck in the hood / She’s asking for trouble / Oh that’s what they’ll say if trouble comes heading her way.”
Pop on the surface and poignant at its core, Pepala hopes the song sparks a conversation, and she’s not afraid to start it.
“‘Looking for Trouble’ is a song about rape culture and victim blaming,” she says. “It addresses the unfortunately relatable feeling of fear when walking alone at night as a female. The lyrics also address the way that victims of sexual abuse are all too commonly questioned about things such as their clothing, actions or level of intoxication as if to justify predatory behavior. I feel very passionately about discussing this subject matter through my music and I hope this song acts as a conversation starter, because these issues need to be discussed until we see change.”