Audrey Hobert – The next big pop sensation

How I discovered Audrey Hobert

I’ll admit it, I don’t usually listen to pop. Normally, I gravitate toward indie rock and music driven by layered instrumentation, but then I stumbled across a snippet of Audrey Hobert’s single Sue Me, and it immediately got stuck in my head. That was my entry point into her debut album, Who’s the Clown?, and now I’m completely hooked.

A promising start

Hobert is no stranger to songwriting. Before her debut, she co-wrote tracks for Gracie Abrams and is the sister of rising artist Malcolm Todd. I already knew she had a gift for writing, but hearing her own work only solidified that belief.

Debut single

Her debut single, Sue Me, set the tone for what was to come. It’s fun and danceable, with flashes of electro-pop, but the lyrics are messy and real, the kind of unfiltered thoughts you have in your twenties. While some of her early buzz came from being Gracie Abrams’ best friend, Hobert has proven herself to be much more than a name adjacent to someone else’s success. She’s carving out her own lane with music that’s raw, witty, and uniquely her. Hobert doesn’t present herself as some unattainable pop figure, she writes from the middle of life’s chaos, and that’s exactly why it resonates.

Standout Tracks

The album, released August 15, opens with I like to touch people. It plays like a stream of intrusive thoughts set to music, funny, unfiltered, and instantly captivating. Hobert’s voice is distinctly American, in the way Hayley Williams’ is familiar yet unmistakably her own.

Don’t Go Back to His Ass might be the catchiest breakup anthem of the year. It captures the chaos of heartbreak with sharp humour and zero sugarcoating. It’s the kind of song you can imagine young women shouting along to in their bedrooms. It’s cathartic, cheeky, and real.

Close behind is Bowling Alley a track that turns self-deprecation into something oddly comforting. Lines like “Sometimes I get on my knees, pray to God, the birds and the bees” are equal parts funny and poignant. Hobert has a way of making you feel okay about not having your life figured out; her messiness feels like solidarity.

On Sex and the City she slows things down, reflecting on beauty, desire, and the hollow search for validation. Where the TV show painted a glossy fantasy, Hobert contrasts it with the monotony of real life and the emptiness of fleeting hookups. It’s strikingly honest, and that honesty is what sets her apart.

Why Audrey Hobert Stands Out

What makes Hobert special is her transparency. She doesn’t write to be perfect, she writes to be honest. She’s messy, funny, self-aware, and completely unfiltered. That relatability is rare, and it makes her debut one of the best I’ve heard in years.

Her songs are polished enough to sit comfortably on mainstream playlists, yet they carry the quirks and raw edges of bedroom pop and indie rock. That combination makes her feel both fresh and familiar, she’s not chasing trends, but she also isn’t so niche that her music risks being overlooked. In a pop landscape often criticized for being overproduced, Hobert’s willingness to let the cracks show is exactly what makes her shine.

Final Thoughts

Who’s the Clown? proves that Audrey Hobert isn’t just “Gracie Abrams’ best friend” or “Malcolm Todd’s sister.” She’s a force in her own right and if this debut is any indication, she’s on her way to becoming a major voice in pop music.

So, if you haven’t yet, go listen to Who’s the Clown?

RATING: 4/5

MUST LISTENS: Bowling Alley, I like to touch people, Don't go back to his ass, Sex and the city, Shooting star

Written by Sophie Lee.