Pop music is usually pretty disposable. Most hits have the shelf life of an open yogurt in the July sun. But then there’s My My My!. When Troye Sivan dropped this track back in early 2018, it didn't just climb the charts; it basically redefined what a queer pop anthem could look like in the streaming era. Honestly, it’s been years, and that synth-heavy "oh my" hook still feels like a shot of pure adrenaline.
It’s loud. It’s uninhibited.
The song served as the lead single for his second studio album, Bloom. If you look back at the landscape of 2018, pop was in a weird transition phase. We were moving away from the EDM-obsessed early 2010s into something moodier, more textural. Troye, working alongside producers like Oscar Görres (who’s worked with everyone from Taylor Swift to Britney Spears), managed to capture lightning in a bottle. They created something that felt like a vintage 80s dance floor but sounded like the future.
The Sonic DNA of a Viral Moment
Most people think a hit just happens. It doesn't. My My My! was a calculated risk. Before this, Troye was the "Blue Neighbourhood" kid—soft, melancholic, a bit reserved. Then he showed up with this track, and suddenly, he’s James Dean in a leather jacket, dancing through a warehouse.
The track is built on a pulsating, driving beat that never really lets up. It uses a lot of space. You’ve got these massive, crashing percussion hits during the chorus that contrast with the breathy, almost whispered verses. That's the secret sauce. Music theorists often point to the "drop" in the song as a masterclass in tension and release. It’s not a dubstep drop; it’s an emotional one.
The lyrics are deceptively simple. "I die every time you walk through the door." It’s hyperbole, sure, but it’s the kind of hyperbole that feels real when you’re twenty-something and infatuated. Critics at Pitchfork and Rolling Stone praised the song for its "liberated" energy. It wasn't just a song about a crush; it was a song about the physical, visceral experience of desire.
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Why the Music Video Changed the Game
You can't talk about My My My! without talking about the visuals directed by Grant Singer. If the name sounds familiar, it's because he’s the guy behind The Weeknd’s most iconic videos.
Singer opted for a high-contrast, black-and-white and neon-soaked aesthetic. It’s grainy. It feels like a fever dream. Troye is seen strutting through an industrial landscape, and for many fans, this was a "coming of age" moment. It moved him from "YouTube star who sings" to "Pop Star with a capital P."
- The lighting was inspired by 1990s fashion photography.
- The movement was improvised and raw.
- It signaled a shift in how LGBTQ+ artists could present themselves—unapologetic and center-stage.
I remember watching it the night it premiered. The comments section wasn't just fans screaming; it was people genuinely shocked by the confidence. It’s one thing to come out; it’s another to own the room so completely that the rest of the world has to keep up.
The Charts vs. The Culture
Now, if we’re being honest, did it hit Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100? No. It peaked at number 80 in the US. In Australia, it did much better, hitting the top 20 and eventually going multi-platinum. But here’s the thing about Google search trends and "stickiness": chart positions are often a lie.
My My My! has more cultural equity than songs that stayed at the top for ten weeks. It became a staple at Pride festivals globally. It’s the track that gets played at 1:00 AM in the club when the energy needs to pivot from "vibing" to "screaming the lyrics." That longevity is rare. It’s why you’re still searching for it today.
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What People Get Wrong About the Inspiration
There’s a common misconception that the song is about a specific breakup. It's actually the opposite. Troye has stated in multiple interviews, including a deep-dive with Beats 1, that the song was inspired by the liberation he felt in his relationship at the time. It was about the "now."
He wanted to capture that "spark" you feel when you're so into someone that you lose your breath. It’s an optimistic track, which was a huge pivot from the heartbreak-heavy themes of his debut album.
The Technical Brilliance of the "Oh My" Hook
Let’s get nerdy for a second. The phrase "My my my! Oh my" isn't just catchy; it’s phonetically perfect for a pop song.
- Open Vowels: The "ay" and "oh" sounds allow the singer to project.
- Repetition: The three-beat structure of "My my my" creates a rhythmic hook that sticks in the brain's "earworm" center (the auditory cortex).
- Frequency: The synth bass under the chorus sits at a frequency that literally makes you want to move. It’s science, basically.
It’s also surprisingly short. The song clocks in at just over three minutes. In a world of shortening attention spans, Troye was ahead of the curve. He gets in, delivers the hook, and leaves you wanting more.
The Legacy in 2026
Looking back from 2026, we can see how this track paved the way for the "mainstream queer" explosion. Before My My My!, queer artists were often relegated to "indie" or "alternative" labels regardless of how catchy their music was.
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Troye showed that you could be specific about your identity and still have a universal hit. Since then, we’ve seen artists like Lil Nas X, Kim Petras, and Omar Apollo take that blueprint and run with it. They don't have to "neutralize" their lyrics for the radio.
How to Revisit the Track Today
If you haven't listened to it in a while, do yourself a favor. Don't just play it on your phone speakers. Put on a pair of decent headphones or crank it up in the car.
Listen for the layering in the final chorus. There are layers of vocals you probably missed the first ten times. Notice how the drums get slightly more aggressive toward the end. It’s a masterclass in pop production that still holds up against anything being released today.
Actionable Takeaways for Pop Fans
If you're a fan of the sound of My My My!, you should check out these specific areas of music:
- Explore the "Swedish Pop" Connection: Since Oscar Görres produced this, look into other Wolf Cousins (Max Martin’s collective) tracks. You’ll find that same crisp, mathematical approach to melody.
- Watch the SNL Performance: Troye’s 2018 performance on Saturday Night Live is widely considered his "arrival" moment. It’s worth a re-watch to see how the song translates to a live stage.
- Check Out the Acoustic Versions: There are stripped-back versions of the song that highlight the songwriting quality. If a song is good, it should work with just a piano or guitar. This one does.
- Follow the "Bloom" Vinyl Path: The album Bloom is best experienced as a whole. My My My! is the gateway drug, but tracks like "Lucky Strike" and "Animal" provide the context that makes the lead single even better.
The song isn't just a relic of 2018. It’s a reminder of what happens when an artist stops trying to fit in and decides to just dance. It’s loud, it’s proud, and honestly, it’s still one of the best pop songs of the last decade.