Jessie Murph is defending her latest single 1965 after fans slammed the lyrics for glorifying an era associated with racism, sexism, and conservative gender roles. The 19-year-old singer responded to the criticism with a TikTok video in which she bluntly stated, “The entire song is satire. Are y’all stupid?” The video, meant as a defense, only fueled further backlash across platforms.
The controversy began shortly after the song dropped, with lyrics that seemed to fantasize about returning to 1965, a year widely associated with systemic inequality. Many listeners didn’t find the tone satirical, accusing Murph of romanticizing oppression. Visuals from the music video featuring retro imagery only added fuel to the fire. Some fans believed the entire presentation felt more like nostalgia than critique.
Trying to clarify her intent, Murph also commented under the TikTok video, “for legal reasons this is satire i promise.” But instead of easing the storm, this line led to even more confusion. “If you have to say it’s satire after people are upset, maybe it wasn’t clear,” one fan wrote. Another user replied, “Satire isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card.”
The backlash has spilled onto all platforms, with TikTok and X users calling out the inconsistency between the lyrics and Murph’s explanation. Some have accused her of scrambling for excuses now that the song isn’t being received well. As one top comment reads, “If the outrage hadn’t started, would she have called it satire at all?”
Despite the uproar, 1965 remains on streaming platforms, and Murph has not issued a formal apology. Her team has not released any statements either. For now, fans remain divided, but skeptical.
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