The Kim Petras machine doesn’t stop. On “Personal Hell,” her eighth single in as many weeks, she’s finally showing some stylistic range. The slew of tracks from the singer — including “Broken” and “All I Do Is Cry” — have shared similar vocal structuring that works extremely well with her powerful pipes, but “Personal Hell” attempts more subtly in its verses before succumbing to one of Petras’ signature choruses. With a sinewy melody, hollowed out drums, and some dirty bass, the song sounds like an updated outtake from Britney Spears’ Blackout, and there could not be a better compliment.
Beginning with a dreary verse about summertime sadness, Petras introduces the subject to how miserable her life can be without them. As the singer pleads to be set free in the pre-chorus, the production builds into the fantastical center of the track; here, we find out that her “Personal Hell” is her eternal horniness. Winking at the listener, she pulls an early Kesha trick and sings “touch me, only your hands make me cum… alive!” to marvelous effect. The rest of the song continues down this road of yearning for some physical affection — including lines about the singer touching herself, “exorcis[ing her] demons,” and the naughtiest kind of love — but “Personal Hell” is an exquisite sex bop that will surely become a staple in Petras’ discography.
Rating: 4.5/5