The song “Kings and Queens” by Amanda Ava Koci, known better as Ava Max professionally, is a feminist song of empowerment. Max compares the positions of kings and queens and how they are differently perceived by society. She points out the inequalities and expectations of women compared to men. In addition, she sings that women are much more capable of things than men. Women can rule and lead others, control their emotions unlike many think as a result of stereotypes, and give birth. Women are strong and amazing and Max makes sure that this is known to the listener with her analogy containing royalty.
Even though sometimes the feminist fight is exhausting for changes to be seen, Max reiterates that there are many women to support others. At the beginning of the song, Max sings “to all of the queens who are fighting alone/Baby, you’re not dancin’ on your own” (Koci 0:07-0:14). She makes sure the listener knows that there are others fighting with them, even if sometimes it does not seem that way. She wants people to know that the feminist movement is still strong and still growing. Max also eludes that women, or queens, are more capable of doing things than men, or kings. She sings “can’t live without me, you wanna, but you can’t, no, no, no/Think it’s funny, but honey, can’t run this show on your own” (Koci 0:15-0:21). She summarizes that without queens, kings would not be able to do what they do; likewise, if men did not have the help of women, many things would be unable to be accomplished. To make things truly be able to work, it takes a team, not just one person/man. She then furthers her feminist tune by singing “no damsel in distress, don’t need to save me/Once I start breathin’ fire, you can’t tame me” (Koci 0:30-0:37). She plays off of the classic stereotype that women are always in need of the saving of men, which is highly inaccurate. Max explains that once she is in control and taking care of herself, she does not need a man, and no one can stop her. Women are not always asking for help and in need of the help of a man. The reference to fire in the lyrics also refers to the fact that women can get angry just like men when they need to be. Following this, Max sings “and you might think I’m weak without a sword/But if I had one, it’d be bigger than yours” (Koci 0:38-0:44). She explains that women are remarkable in what they can accomplish and what biologically they are also capable of compared to men. Women can not only lead people, likely better than men do, but they can also give birth to children, bringing new life into the world, something that their male counterparts cannot do. While this is a reference to the large capabilities of women, I think that it could also be a reference to something a little more PG-13; it could also potentially mean that even though women do not have penises, if women did, they would certainly be bigger than mens’ 😜 (anyone else?). Anyways, she continues by later singing that if you “disobey me, then baby, it’s off with your head/Gonna change it and make it a world you won’t forget” (Koci 0:58-1:06). She makes it known that you cannot mess with women and their fight for their rights. If you do get in the way, Max and other women are not messing around, using the reference to the violent act of cutting off someone’s head should someone interrupt them.
After the previous verse, Max then changes the line a bit from her original one about having a bigger sword if she did have one. She instead changes it later in the song to “and you might think I’m weak without a sword/But I’m stronger than I ever was before” (Koci 1:14-1:22). She continues with her earlier point that women are capable of so many things and strong with or without a sword. She continues on this point that even though she does not have a sword, her confidence and joy makes her the strongest she has ever been and felt before now. Moving towards the end of the song, Max sings an interesting line saying “in chess, the king can move one space at a time/But queens are free to go wherever they like” (Koci 1:50-1:58). In chess, the queen can move any number of spaces in any direction, whereas the king can only move in any direction one space at a time. Max equates this to women having a greater edge and more capability over men. Women can have more power if given it and can do a lot more than men, like the queen can make bigger and better moves than the king in chess.
Feminism to me is getting women to an equal point in society and people’s thinking with the unreasonably high pedestal that men are on compared to women. Throughout class this semester, I have learned that feminism has a long and varying history that also is affected by race. Betty Friedan in The Feminine Mystique from 1963 focuses mostly on second-wave feminism where the the focus is the overall security of women’s rights with equality to men, not just the right to vote. Max’s song, “Kings and Queens”, also focuses on second-feminism, looking for the eqaulity of women to men in leadership roles and views in society. Max generalizes her meaning of women to all women since there is nothing within her song to say otherwise; however, Friedan’s writing and analyses focused only on upper-middle class white women since that is who she studied from her research. Although Friedan’s work is not fully inclusive, it does still introduce some points that would associate with all women. Friedan at one point questions “Who knows what women can be when they are finally free to become themselves?” (Friedan 281). This point that she brings up is very similar to the overall goal of Max’s song. Friedan is pointing out that women have a greater potential than what they could accomplish if they were provided with more, like equality and opportunities. Max sings about how women would be the better rulers and the world would be a better place if only they were the ones on the throne and in control, not the men. If queens could rule how they wanted to without people constantly doubting them and bringing them down, things would be much better, which is what Friedan tries to get across. Women could do greater things if provided the freedom to do things such as rule is what Friedan says.
Max also adds to her point that she is happy to be a woman and stronger than she has ever been as a result of her happiness. Friedan states that when a woman stopped “conforming to the conventional picture of femininity she finally began to enjoy being a woman” (Friedan 279). Max reiterates and proves Friedan’s point that once she stopped listening to what others had to say and just was herself, she was happier and stronger like Friedan says. However, Max does oppose Friedan’s example that women “wanted the men to make the major decisions” (Friedan 273). Max’s argument in her song is that women do indeed want to make decisions and that things would actually be better if women could make the large decisions. Max does not want men to be making decisions anymore, whereas Friedan says that from her research she concluded that women were scared to make decisions in 1963. Now, over fifty years later, the roles and ideals seem to have reversed as women today were to make their own choices and not have to rely on a man like Friedan describes. Overall, Max concludes that society would be a better place with women in charge and that women are not a completely weaker being in comparison to men simply because of size and stereotypes. Friedan backs up Max’s theory that women would indeed create a better functioning society with positive outcomes if women could do things their own way without men interfering if given the chance.