What do you get when you combine President Donald Trump and a dress? No, we don’t get Donald Trump rocking a dress. We get a 2014 EP by singer Joy Villa on top of the Billboard weekly alternative rock and rock charts this week. Villa appeared at the Grammys last week rocking a “Make America Great Again” dress, and Trump-supporting fans took notice on Twitter and Facebook enthusiastically approving of the nod to the suit-laden U.S. President.
https://twitter.com/davesmalz/status/834796296657629184
It’s really unbelievable to think that Joy Villa, who had never been on any Billboard Chart, is now #1 on the rock charts, #1 on the alternative rock charts, and in the top 15 on the Billboard 200 with her EP. It’s also #1 on iTunes and Amazon. It’s pretty much unheard of that one dress, one slogan, and a 3 year old EP combine to influence the alternative rock charts so greatly, let alone any chart. Villa has also been doing additional promotion of late for the EP, appearing on Fox and Friends with designer Andre Soriano to discuss how she dresses for success.
On why she was so brave to wear the dress:
(Transcribed by Alternative Nation)
“There was a lot controversy around the President, and a lot of hate honestly, and I wanted to change the narrative. I wanted in some small way to just show support and unity, and it’s not about whom you voted for, or what you believe, it’s more about love and unifying. As the United States of America for the world they look at us, and if we’re divided, it doesn’t paint a good picture. I wanted this dress to be a beacon of hope for love, for support, and for making a decision to go against the grain to show support for something that is not talked about in the media unfortunately. So it was a statement of love above all.”
She goes on to say that there has been some backlash, but also a tremendous amount of support. After hearing an audio quote about a horrific story of violence from a Latino Trump supporter, designer Soriano actually started to cry, overtaken with emotion. Donald Trump himself is a classic rock fan, so perhaps it’s appropriate that he himself seems to be dominating the rock charts.
The EP itself has a mix of rock and pop, and some alternative. The closest to 90’s post-grunge is probably her 2014 track “Run and Hide,” formed around the distorted guitar buzz of Zach Banks that runs through the track. The sound does qualify as alternative rock.
