VANÈS – Starf*ck

Emerging queer alt-pop artist VANÈS returns with her new single ‘STARF*CK’ via APOLLO Distribution, a track that thrives on tension, contrast, and grit. Blending electronic textures with alt-pop influences, the song feels volatile in the best way. Distorted, high-energy production undercuts her soft, almost weightless vocals, creating something both intimate and unrestrained.

‘STARF*CK’ captures an urgent and chaotic state of mind, driven by a pounding beat that mirrors the push-and-pull of a relationship where control is never quite settled.

“I wrote ‘STARF*CK’ at a female writing camp in London while my single “Kiss Me Slow” was still blowing up online” VANÈS explains. “My life felt like pure chaos – playing shows, dealing with a breakup, never at home and writing new songs in between.”

That sense of instability runs through the track. The title itself reflects the duality at its core – playful but confrontational, soft but sharp. “I chose this title because I love how playful and aggressive it sounds at the same time” she says. “It matches the contrast in the track: soft, almost innocent vocals sitting on top of dark trap-pop production, somewhere between Chase Atlantic and Billie Eilish.”

Sonically, ‘STARF*CK’ sits in a space that nods to alternative pop’s more experimental edge, but it’s the perspective that sets it apart. At its heart, the track is about the power game inside a queer relationship – that moment when you realise you might be getting played but instead of walking away you decide to play along because you know you’re still the one holding the cards.

With ‘STARF*CK’, VANÈS continues to define her place in the queer alt-pop space, by embracing contradiction and self-expression. The single marks the beginning of her next chapter, setting the tone for an upcoming EP that promises to push even further into her distinct sonic world.

#itsnotvanes