Unlike Taylor Swift or Beyoncé, Jepsen hasn't built her stardom around a cult of personality. Not having to spend time defending her like Tay Tay, or worrying that we're placing the wrong offering at the altar of the Beyhive, makes her records easier to champion.

That idea chimes with the thing that draws me to Jepsen the most. Some pop stars seem to organize their music and their personas around shared pain and trauma. But Jepsen organizes her music around mutual joy.

While plenty of loneliness and longing and heartbreak drive the songs, her performances and recordings feel more like occasions to throw a party in celebration of those feelings. Which makes sense! After all, they're signs that we're alive. And being alive is good, especially when a Carly Rae Jepsen song comes on the radio. by Rich Smith