The Story of Poppy: From Pop to Metal Superstar

Poppy has become a very well-recognized name in the alternative music industry and is known for her genre-hopping discography and her artistically unsettling robot-like persona that gained her a lot of viral attention on YouTube at the start of her career.

Blending elements of dark pop, metal, and electronic/experimental music the Boston-born artist has carved out a unique space in the industry. From her eerie beginnings as a surreal YouTube personality to her evolution into an alternative music superstar, Poppy’s journey is one of reinvention and artistic defiance.

Who Is Poppy?

Moriah Rose Pereira, known by her stage name Poppy–is an American singer, musician, and YouTuber known for her experimental music that mixes a wide influence of alternative genres. Poppy is currently signed to Sumerian Records.

She first gained attention for her peculiar and downright weird YouTube videos. These videos featured her in an uncanny valley-esque, robotic persona, delivering cryptic monologues and ominous content that intrigued and confused audiences. Her aesthetic was minimalist, unsettling, and unnervingly futuristic, quickly building a cult following.

However, beneath the digital facade, Poppy was also a musician—one unafraid to experiment with sound and style. Over the years, she has transitioned through numerous genres, from bubblegum pop to industrial metal, consistently pushing the boundaries of her artistic identity.

The Start of Poppy

Poppy started on YouTube in 2014 with bizarre performance art videos, her first video posted to the official Poppy channel is a video titled "Poppy Eats Cotton Candy" which has nearly 5 million views.

Another one of the most popular videos is titled "I'm Poppy." which is 10 minutes of the artist repeating her name. With nearly 30 million views, this is one of her most popular videos on YouTube and these unusual videos are part of what started to draw significant attention to Poppy in the beginning of her career.

In 2016 Poppy released her debut EP "Bubblebath" which showcased a pop sound with ska, punk, and even reggae influences. Hit track "Lowlife" got a lot of attention for Poppy and was generally very successful.

By 2017 Poppy released her debut album, "Poppy.Computer", which was a bright electro-pop record that embraced internet culture with a futuristic twist. Tracks like “I’m Poppy” and “Computer Boy” played into her AI-like persona, while the album’s polished production and catchy melodies positioned her as an avant-garde pop artist. While playful, the album hinted at the deeper themes of digital identity and control that would become more pronounced in her later work.

2018: A Darker Turn with Am I a Girl?

With her sophomore album, "Am I A Girl?" (2018), Poppy began incorporating heavier influences into her music. While the first half of the album maintained her electronic pop sound, songs like “X” and “Play Destroy” (featuring Grimes) introduced metal riffs and screamed vocals, foreshadowing her eventual pivot into heavier music. This era marked her departure from pure pop and a willingness to defy genre conventions.

2020: Reinventing Herself with "I Disagree"

Poppy’s third studio album, "I Disagree", marked a radical departure from her earlier sound. Fully embracing industrial metal, nu-metal, and alternative rock, the album was a sonic explosion of aggression and experimentation. Tracks like “Concrete,” “Bloodmoney,” and “Bite Your Teeth” showcased brutal guitar riffs, screamed vocals, and chaotic yet calculated shifts in tempo and mood.

With "I Disagree", Poppy fully embraced her evolution into a heavier, more rebellious artist. The album’s lyrical themes tackled individuality, defiance against industry norms, and breaking free from control—mirroring her real-life split from former collaborator Titanic Sinclair who caused some controversy with Poppy stating that Sinclair had "manipulative patterns". Her 2020 album "I Dasagree" also earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance, making her the first solo female artist to receive a nomination in the category.

2021: Expanding Her Horizons with Flux

Following the aggressive nature of "I Disagree", Poppy took yet another turn with "Flux". This album leaned more into alternative rock and grunge influences, with a raw, unpolished sound that felt reminiscent of ’90s rock. Tracks like “Her” and “So Mean” embraced a more straightforward rock aesthetic, while still maintaining Poppy’s signature unpredictability. "Flux" demonstrated her versatility, proving that she could pivot between styles without losing her unique essence.

2023: Embracing Chaos with Zig

Poppy continued to evolve with her 2023 album, "Zig". Incorporating elements of hyperpop, industrial, and electronic music, this album showcased her fearless approach to sound design and composition. Songs like “Knockoff” and “Motorbike” further blurred the lines between pop, metal, and experimental electronica, cementing her status as one of the most unpredictable artists in the industry.

Poppy’s Impact on Music and Culture

Poppy’s ability to effortlessly blend and switch between genres has made her a standout artist in the modern alternative music scene. From synth-pop to metal, grunge to industrial, she has proven that categorization is unnecessary when it comes to true artistic expression. Her constant reinvention challenges industry norms and keeps fans on their toes, never knowing what to expect next. Poppy has become a name that is recognized in mainstream music as well as alternative scenes like metal.

The Evolution of the Poppy Persona

While her early AI-inspired character was once a dominant part of her brand, Poppy has gradually shed this persona, opting for a more raw and authentic version of herself. This transition has allowed her to connect with her audience on a deeper level, as she moves away from scripted surrealism and into genuine self-expression.

Although Poppy has moved away from branding with her alter-ego to the extent of her previous work, the artist recently started a new series on YouTube titled Improbably Poppy that shows that she still has plans to create unsettling performance art–even if it isn't her main focus.

The Modern Era of Poppy

2024 was a huge year for the pop-gone metal artist, as Poppy was nominated for another Grammy for her collab with hardcore giants Knocked Loose on their track "Suffocate". In addition to the Grammy-nominated collaboration, Poppy also released her latest album "Negative Spaces" which explored even further into her metal influences, with brutal tracks like "they're all around us" that blend catchy melodies with a crushing modern metalcore sound. Poppy still keeps her musician base spread out while songs like "crystallized" stray from metal influences and take a more goth-inspired synthwave sound.

Poppy and Spiritbox also went viral in 2025 after an interview of Spiritbox's Courtney LaPlante being mistaken for Poppy was posted to fans' enjoyment. The awkward interview drew more attention to both Poppy and Spiritbox and led to some criticism of media personnel who attended the event not knowing the difference between metal acts that were nominated.

What’s Next for Poppy?

With each album, Poppy reinvents herself and her sound, making it nearly impossible to predict her next move. Whether she continues down the path of heavy music, returns to her electronic roots, or ventures into an entirely new sound, one thing remains certain—Poppy refuses to be boxed in.

As she continues to defy expectations, experiment with sound, and challenge artistic norms, Poppy’s influence on modern music will only continue to grow. Her fearless approach to genre-blending and performance art ensures that she will remain one of the most intriguing artists of her generation.

If this is your first time hearing of Poppy, check out one of our favorite tracks "they're all around us".

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