Feminist anthem goes viral on TikTok
A snippet of Paris Paloma’s song “Labour” blew up on TikTok a week before its official release date in March, with women across the platform adopting the single as an anthem for channelling their feminine rage.
The ballad addresses the unequal distribution of domestic and emotional labour between men and women throughout history. This anthem arrives at a time when the terms, “weaponised incompetence” and “unpaid domestic labour” have gained popularity online, with users recognising that the phrases accurately describe many of the challenges women face in their day-to-day lives.
Over the powerful bridge of the song, thousands of Tiktokers who resonate with the sexism embedded in our patriarchal society began sharing videos recounting their personal experiences with sexism and sparking a viral trend.
[Bridge Lyrics]
All day, every day, therapist, mother, maid
Nymph then a virgin, nurse then a servant
Just an appendage, live to attend him
So that he never lifts a finger
24-7, baby machine
So he can live out his picket fence dreams
It’s not an act of love if you make her
You make me do too much labour
The 23-year-old singer-songwriter’s music video amassed over 13 million views on YouTube, with one user commenting:
“The feeling I get from this song is so ancient and so deep, I feel like all the rage from thousands of years of oppression to the women of all history is united into this song, and it’s incredibly powerful.”
The folk-infused indie tune evokes an ancient sense of femininity and womanhood, almost like a witch’s spell. “Labour” amplifies the voices of women, resonating with the struggles they continue to face today and those of their predecessors throughout history.
