Over two seasons, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom has become one of the most astute comedic songwriters in recent memory, crafting smart and biting lyrics around such relatable (and very specific) life situations as women’s fears of having “sex with a stranger,” calling someone your best friend even though you know the sentiments are not reciprocated, and stalking your ex’s new partner via social media. For Vanity Fair’s inaugural “conference celebrating female entrepreneurs,” Founder’s Fair, Bloom’s clever way with words is on display again in the new video “#LadyBoss.”
In the style of a girl power anthem circa 2005, Bloom and her backup dancers unpack how tricky it can be to be a high-powered woman in the workplace. “Do you think I’m a bitch?/ Well, I don’t give a shit!/ But if I do give a shit, does that make me weak?”: So goes the chorus. Feminist idol Ruth Bader Ginsberg makes an obligatory appearance (in the form of a pillow for Bloom’s #ladyboss to muffle her crying at her desk), while conflicting feelings about asking for a raise, being threatened by other women’s success, and proper workplace attire are all deftly tackled here as well. It’s both very funny and very self-aware in its critique of social mores—a song that would fit right at home in Rebecca Bunch’s world.
