Single Review: Maisie Peters - John Hughes Movie

Maisie Peters’ new single, ‘John Hughes Movie,’ offers a bittersweet reflection on how reality lets down the romantics. The indie pop tune, which has been an unreleased fan favourite of Peters’ for a few years, comes in advance of her upcoming debut album. The 20-year-old Brighton native built anticipation for the single’s release on her popular TikTok account, where she posts acoustic clips of original songs and covers.

In the title and chorus of her single, Peters gives a nod to John Hughes, who is best known for directing an array of classic coming-of-age films in the 1980s such as The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Sixteen Candles. However, rather than muse on the aesthetics of the age of New Romanticism and big hair, Peters equates the films to a vision of idealised love in order to detail the quiet disappointment of real life romance. ‘This wasn’t how it’s supposed to go, I should be the one you’re dancing with / Spinning with a vodka coke, everybody at my fingertips,’ Peters reflects in the first verse, over a handful of pulled-back synth notes.

Peters’ sugary vocals to create a catchy pop tune with a deep emotional core

Building momentum at the beginning through snappy percussion and muted beats, the song launches into sunny dance pop by the post chorus. Throwback synth sounds pair with contemporary production elements and Peters’ sugary vocals to create a catchy pop tune with a deep emotional core. The song is equally tailor-made for a road trip singalong with friends as it is for a cathartic solo jam, (the latter of which proves to be a more likely scenario in lockdown life).

Peters released an accompanying music video the day following the single’s release. Directed by Louis Bhose, the video’s opening shot features Peters clad in a bright coral gown at a shimmery Year 13 Leavers’ Ball, paying homage to Molly Ringwald in 1986’s Pretty in Pink. Peters soon ditches the formalwear to cruise the night streets in a vest and leather jacket, stalking a rotation of couples from the ball with a zombie as her chauffeur. The video is John Hughes meets campy teen horror – a memorable music video for an earworm track.