Hannah Collins, known professionally as Scene Queen, is an American singer-songwriter and musician based in Los Angeles, recognized for pioneering the "bimbocore" style—a hyper-feminine, sexually explicit fusion of metalcore breakdowns, pop-punk, and electronic elements infused with satirical feminist commentary.[1][2] Born in Ohio and raised in its suburbs, she initially gained traction on TikTok under the moniker RØSÉ before rebranding in 2021, signing with Hopeless Records, and releasing EPs Bimbocore and Bimbocore Vol. 2 in 2022 that established her neon-pink, Y2K-inspired aesthetic and themes of sexual autonomy.[1][2] Her debut studio album, Hot Singles in Your Area, arrived in June 2024, featuring collaborations with artists like Wargasm and emphasizing personal liberation amid critiques of alternative music's gatekeeping.[3][1]
Scene Queen's rapid ascent included winning Best International Breakthrough Artist at the 2023 Heavy Music Awards and Breakthrough Artist at the Rock Sound Awards, alongside high-profile festival appearances that expanded her audience despite backlash from some metal purists who decry her theatrical vulgarity as inauthentic to the genre.[4][5] Her work challenges norms in heavy music by promoting inclusivity for marginalized voices, including through anthems that blend humor, politics, and heavy riffs to foster "twerkle pits" in mosh crowds.[2][1]
Early life
Childhood and initial music exposure
Hannah Rose Collins was born on May 6, 1997, in Ohio, where she was raised in a small conservative town in a typical American family setting.[6][1] Her upbringing lacked significant privileges or publicized hardships, focusing instead on everyday experiences in a midwestern environment that contrasted with the alternative music scenes she later embraced.[1]Collins' initial exposure to music began at age seven, around 2004, when she started singing along to emo and post-hardcore bands such as Brand New, influenced heavily by her older sister's affinity for early-2000s emo acts.[7] This familial gateway introduced her to the emotional intensity and subcultural aesthetics of genres like emo, which emphasized introspective lyrics and raw instrumentation, shaping her early appreciation for alternative rock's rebellious ethos.[7][8]By her preteen years, Collins engaged in informal creative pursuits, including mimicking performances and exploring the visual and sonic elements of emo and scene styles prevalent in online communities during the mid-2000s revival period. These early experiments, devoid of formal training or professional intent at the time, laid the groundwork for her later adoption of stage personas, reflecting a organic immersion in subcultures defined by DIY expression and internet-driven discovery rather than mainstream channels.[1]
Musical career
Independent beginnings as RØSÉ
Prior to adopting the Scene Queen persona, Hannah Collins performed and released music under the stage name RØSÉ, marking her entry into professional recording in the late 2010s.[2] This period involved self-directed experimentation blending post-hardcore elements with rock influences, self-produced and distributed independently without major label support. Collins, then an emerging artist, leveraged social media platforms like TikTok to preview and promote her material, drawing from personal experiences in the alternative scene to craft relatable content.[9]RØSÉ's sole documented release was the debut single "Are You Tired?", issued on September 8, 2020. The track, characterized by its post-hardcore and rock styling, addressed themes of emotional exhaustion in relationships, reflecting Collins' early songwriting focused on raw, introspective narratives. Initially teased via TikTok videos that garnered viral attention through humorous and scene-referential clips, the single achieved temporary buzz, including topping alternative playlists and fan-driven streams.[9] However, despite this initial online traction, broader commercial reception remained limited, with no subsequent singles or EPs under the moniker gaining similar momentum.[2]The lack of sustained success under RØSÉ prompted Collins to reevaluate her artistic direction by late 2020, leading to a deliberate pivot away from the name and style.[2] This phase laid foundational technical and thematic groundwork, honing her production skills and audience engagement tactics that later informed hyperpop-infused fusions, though it yielded minimal chart impact or industry deals at the time. Independent distribution constrained reach, underscoring the challenges of breaking through without institutional backing in a fragmented digital landscape.[9]
Rise of the Scene Queen persona and bimbocore
Hannah Collins, performing as Scene Queen, debuted the persona in late 2021 on TikTok, marking a deliberate shift from her prior indie project RØSÉ to adopt hyperfeminine aesthetics that satirically challenged the masculine norms and gatekeeping prevalent in the scene subculture.[2] This reinvention emphasized exaggerated pink, girly visuals and themes rejecting the male gaze, drawing from influences like Legally Blonde and early 2000s icons to subvert expectations of femininity in alternative music.[10][11] The platform's short-form videos allowed her to experiment with content that highlighted personal experiences of sexism, fostering early engagement amid a historically male-dominated genre landscape.[12]In early 2022, Collins coined "bimbocore" to encapsulate her sound, defining it as a hyperfeminine extension of metalcore that fuses bubblegum pop melodies, hip-hop beats, and heavy metal elements with explicit feminist reclamation of "bimbo" stereotypes—portraying hypersexuality and superficiality as empowered rather than derogatory.[2][10] This genre innovation responded directly to the alternative scene's underrepresentation of women and its toxic gender dynamics, as Collins noted her intent to affirm that "you can be feminine and strong" without conforming to industry pressures for a desexualized image.[11][12] Bimbocore's satirical edge critiqued harassment and exclusion, positioning the persona as a defiant counter to gatekeepers who dismissed feminine expressions in heavy music.[10]The persona's growth accelerated through TikTok virality, where early singles like "Pink Rover"—inspired by a real catcalling incident—amassed widespread shares, building a dedicated niche following of over 500,000 by mid-2022 despite backlash from traditionalists in the male-heavy alternative community.[10][11] This social media traction, rooted in segmented releases and interactive content reclaiming emo-era tropes, enabled Scene Queen to cultivate an inclusive fanbase that embraced her unapologetic style, contrasting the scene's longstanding aversion to overt femininity.[2][12]
Signing with Hopeless Records and viral breakthrough
In August 2021, Scene Queen signed with Hopeless Records, an independent label known for alternative and punk acts, which facilitated professional production resources and broader distribution for her music.[13] The deal was announced alongside the release of her single "Pretty in Pink" on August 27, 2021, marking her transition from independent releases under the RØSÉ moniker to a more structured label-backed career.[13]This partnership enabled the April 2022 release of the Bimbocore EP, which amplified her hyperpop-metalcore hybrid sound through polished recordings and promotional support.[14] Tracks from the EP, including "Pretty in Pink" and follow-up single "Pink Rover" (released March 2022), gained significant traction on TikTok, where short-form video clips featuring her provocative lyrics and scene-revival aesthetics drove user engagement and shares within alternative music communities.[15]The viral momentum translated to measurable growth, with Scene Queen's TikTok following surpassing 600,000 by late 2023, fueled by algorithmic promotion of her content and fan recreations that integrated her into the resurgent "scene kid" subculture.[16] These breakthroughs led to millions of streams on platforms like Spotify for singles such as "Pink Rover," positioning her as an emerging figure in mainstream alternative circles and securing early live slots at events like Warped Tour revivals, signaling her evolution from niche indie artist to label-supported contender.[17]
Debut album and major releases (2023–2024)
Hot Singles in Your Area, Scene Queen's debut studio album, was released on June 28, 2024, via Hopeless Records.[18] The 15-track project incorporates bimbocore elements, with lyrics examining interpersonal dynamics and behaviors prevalent in alternative music subcultures.[1] Production credits include contributions from Hannah Collins, Zach Jones, and others on select tracks. The album's rollout emphasized its thematic focus on empowerment and critique within scene environments, positioning it as a continuation of Scene Queen's established persona.[19]Preceding the full release, "18+" served as the lead single, issued on March 16, 2023, and featured on the album as its second track.[20] The track, clocking in at 3:13, contributed to building anticipation by engaging listeners in discussions around age-related vulnerabilities in music communities.[21] Additional promotional singles from the album included "Pink Push-Up Bra" and "Whips and Chains," released in the lead-up to June 2024 to highlight the record's provocative styling and sound.[22] These releases underscored the album's cohesive aesthetic, blending hyper-feminine pop with heavier instrumentation.[23]Upon release, Hot Singles in Your Area garnered streaming activity across platforms, with individual tracks like "18+" accumulating millions of plays on services such as Spotify and YouTube Music.[24] The album did not achieve prominent positions on major international charts but aligned with Scene Queen's growing digital footprint, supported by Hopeless Records' distribution.[25] Collaborations, including "Girls Gone Wild" featuring Wargasm, added variety to the tracklist and broadened its appeal within niche electronic and rock audiences.[26]
Tours, live performances, and recent developments (2024–2025)
In November and December 2024, Scene Queen supported Babymetal as a special guest on their U.S. headlining tour, performing at select dates across 15 cities, including the opener on November 5 in Sunrise, Florida, and shows in New York on November 18–19.[27][28]She performed at multiple stops of the Vans Warped Tour's 30th anniversary events in 2025, including the June 15 show at RFK Stadium Grounds in Washington, D.C., and the Long Beach edition.[29][30]Scene Queen headlined her "Hot Shows in Your Area" tour starting July 11, 2025, at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts, with U.S. dates extending through early August in cities such as Albuquerque on July 24 and Detroit on August 3, before shifting to European legs including Berlin on September 13 and concluding around September 16.[31][32][33]On June 25, 2025, she released the single "L-Shaped Couch," a disco-influenced track recounting a personal queer experience, followed by "Platform Shoes" on September 3, which continued the shift toward vibrant, sparkly production styles.[34][35][36][37]She is set to appear at Good Things Festival across Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane in December 2025, supported by Australian sideshows in Perth on November 30, Adelaide on December 2, and Belgrave on December 3.[38][39]
Musical style and artistry
Genre characteristics and bimbocore innovation
Scene Queen's music fuses metalcore's heavy breakdowns and djent guitars with hyperpop's electronic production and bubblegum pop's sugary hooks, creating a theatrical sound layered with neon sparkle and hip-hop beats.[40][41][2] This blend extends to alternative rock and crunkcore influences, enabling genre experimentation such as trap-metal riffs or country-infused structures without adhering to rigid boundaries.[42][43]Bimbocore, self-coined by Scene Queen as her proprietary style, reimagines metalcore through hyperfeminine aesthetics that contrast the genre's historical emphasis on masculine aggression and uniformity.[43][2] The term encapsulates a sparkly, playful productionethos designed to provoke gatekeepers while prioritizing visuals and sounds that empower female-identifying audiences over male-oriented appeal.[2]In live settings, bimbocore innovates via satirical performance tactics, such as "twerkle pits"—a directive to twerk within mosh spaces—subverting the stoic, violent norms of traditional metal pits with exuberant, body-positive movement.[2][43] This approach underscores the genre's core tenet of injecting fun and irreverence into heavy music, allowing fluid incorporation of pop, scene revival elements, and beyond.[43]
Influences and lyrical content
Scene Queen's musical influences draw from a range of 2000s emo and scene acts, as well as pop and country songwriters who emphasize personal narrative and defiance of expectations. She has cited Pierce The Veil's Vic Fuentes as a pivotal figure, noting that witnessing their live performance inspired her pursuit of music and helped her navigate personal difficulties, with the band referenced in her track "Pink Whitney."[44] Similarly, The Ready Set's blend of pop-driven structures and rock elements shaped her approach, leading to multiple viewings of their shows and a collaboration on Bimbocore Vol. 2.[44] Broader emo and post-hardcore scenes from the era inform her work, reflecting her immersion in that subculture during formative years.[45]Cultural icons beyond traditional music also play a role, particularly in her embrace of hyper-femininity. Paris Hilton's unapologetic aesthetic and rejection of stereotypes influenced tracks like "Pink G-String," which ties into Hilton's reality TV persona from The Simple Life.[44] Kesha's chaotic, confessional style in early 2000s dance-pop resonated with Scene Queen's own candor about industry experiences.[44] Dolly Parton's songwriting prowess and business savvy further motivated her shift toward narrative-driven pop from initial country leanings.[44]Her lyrics frequently center on empowerment through exaggerated femininity, positioning hyper-sexualized "bimbo" tropes as a form of rebellion against patriarchal norms in subcultures like emo and metalcore.[2] Themes of personal agency and self-confidence recur, as in critiques of societal pressures to conform, evident across her Bimbocore EPs and debut album Hot Singles in Your Area (released May 17, 2024).[46] She balances satire and provocation, using humor to dismantle slut-shaming and the male gaze while advocating for feminine strength.[47][48]A core lyrical motif involves accountability for abuse and misconduct, particularly in alternative music scenes. The single "18+" (released March 17, 2023) explicitly condemns groomers and power imbalances in emo, post-hardcore, and metalcore communities, drawing from reported industry patterns.[49] Tracks like "Mutual Masturbation" extend this to broader misogyny, urging confrontation over complicity in relationships and professional settings.[48] This approach aligns with bimbocore's feminist undercurrents, reclaiming sexuality as empowerment rather than victimhood.[10]
Reception
Critical assessments
Scene Queen's debut album Hot Singles in Your Area (2023) has been commended for its energetic fusion of hyperpop, metalcore, and electronic elements, often highlighting her role in revitalizing scene aesthetics for contemporary audiences. Kerrang! praised the record as a "fun, surprising debut" that embodies "hot girl summer" through its bold, playful execution, positioning her as a pioneer in bimbocore. Similarly, a GRAMMY.com profile emphasized her contributions to queering alternative and metal spaces by integrating pop influences and confronting industry misogyny, crediting her chaotic persona with broadening accessibility in heavy music.[1] Outlets like Original Rock described the album as a "genre-bending triumph," noting subtle shifts across tracks that incorporate country, rap, and deathcore for dynamic variety.[50]Critics from metal-oriented publications have tempered enthusiasm with reservations about depth and originality. The Soundboard Reviews critiqued the relentless "airheaded delivery" and explicit themes of lesbian sexuality and female empowerment as overwhelming in high-volume playback, suggesting an overemphasis on persona at the expense of nuance.[51] Devil's Gate Music characterized the album as a "short sharp shock" that delivers brilliant energy but falls short of true innovation in intent or production.[52] Lambgoat questioned the artistic merit underlying her self-proclaimed bimbocore style, particularly in light of her award recognition, implying reliance on provocation over substantive heavy music credentials.[53]Her breakthrough status was affirmed by the 2023 Heavy Music Awards, where she received Best International Breakthrough Artist for advancing provocative themes within the global heavy scene.[54]
Commercial success and achievements
Scene Queen's recordings have accumulated over 166 million streams on Spotify as of October 2025, exceeding 100 million by 2024 following her signing with Hopeless Records, which facilitated expanded distribution and promotion.[55][56]
The artist sustains around 580,000 monthly listeners on the platform.[57]Her headline tours have achieved multiple sell-outs, including a 1,500-capacity venue in Manchester on July 3, 2025, and the Palladium Upstairs on July 2025 with supporting acts girli and Deadlands.[58][59]
Demand prompted upgrades to larger venues for her 2023UK tour after winning the Heavy Music Award for Best International Breakthrough Artist.[4]
Appearances at sold-out Warped Tour Festival and bookings for Good Things Festival in late 2025 further demonstrate live performance viability.[60][38]TikTok virality, evidenced by 652,900 followers and 18.9 million likes on her account as of recent metrics, has driven algorithmic exposure and subsequent Spotify playlist inclusions for tracks like "Barbie & Ken" and "Pink Panther."[57]In accolades, Scene Queen received the Breakthrough Artist award at the Rock Sound Awards 2023 and Best International Breakthrough Artist at the Heavy Music Awards 2023.[5][4]
Fan community and cultural impact
Scene Queen has fostered a dedicated fan community centered around the "Bimbo Beta Pi" collective, which functions as a virtual sorority promoting empowerment and solidarity among supporters, particularly in response to pervasive misogyny within emo, post-hardcore, and metalcore scenes.[61] This group, introduced during live performances as early as December 2023, emphasizes hyperfeminine expression as a form of resistance against genre gatekeeping that historically marginalized women and queer individuals.[61] By integrating elements of satire and accountability into her messaging, she has built a following that prioritizes safety and mutual support, drawing from her own experiences in alternative music environments.[1]Her influence extends to reshaping gender dynamics in alternative genres, where hyperfemininity—often derided in metal and punk subcultures—has been reframed as a source of strength rather than incompatibility with heaviness.[62] Through bimbocore's blend of aggressive instrumentation and unapologetic femininity, Scene Queen has contributed to "queering" these spaces, encouraging accountability for abuses and inspiring a wave of artists who incorporate similar aesthetics of sexual freedom and LGBTQ+ visibility.[1][63] This shift is evident in her role as a theatrical voice weaving politics into performance, broadening appeal beyond traditional demographics.[64]On social media platforms like TikTok, where she gained initial traction around 2021–2022, Scene Queen has played a part in reintroducing 2000s scene aesthetics—such as vibrant, MySpace-era styling—to Generation Z audiences, adapting them into modern hyperpop and metal hybrids.[12][62] This revival leverages short-form video to emphasize self-expression and nostalgia, fostering a renewed interest in emo-adjacent fashion and sounds among younger fans disconnected from the original subculture's peak.[2] Her approach has amplified bimbocore's reach, positioning it as a cultural bridge that counters the era's documented exclusions with inclusive, performative flair.[65]
Controversies and criticisms
"18+" track and industry abuse callouts
In March 2023, Scene Queen released the single "18+", a track condemning grooming and sexual misconduct by older artists toward underage female fans in the emo, post-hardcore, and metalcore communities.[66][67] The lyrics illustrate systemic patterns of predation, such as targeting teenagers at shows with lines referencing "pink wristbands on the guest list" for minors and bras left on tour buses as trophies of exploitation, while critiquing insincere apologies and the absence of repercussions.[68][49] The song avoids naming specific individuals, focusing instead on entrenched behaviors within these scenes.[67][69]Positioned as a deliberate diss track, "18+" seeks to expose ignored abuses in alternative music culture and compel accountability, with Scene Queen describing its purpose as validating survivors and igniting dialogue on the "epidemic" of misconduct rather than targeting isolated cases.[49][68] She has directed proceeds from the track to RAINN, an organization aiding sexual assault survivors, underscoring its role in advocating for preventive measures like those promoted by groups such as Safe Gigs for Women.[68][49]The track's content drew industry pushback, exemplified by its exclusion from the Vans Warped Tour 2025 compilation CD in June 2025, despite Scene Queen's performances at the festival's events, including in Washington, D.C. on June 15.[70][29] Scene Queen publicly attributed the omission to organizers' reluctance to include material addressing fan exploitation, framing it as hypocritical resistance to reforms in a scene historically linked to such issues.[70]
Backlash, authenticity debates, and gatekeeping accusations
Scene Queen has faced criticism from segments of the metalcore community for perceived lack of authenticity, with detractors labeling her bimbocore style as gimmicky and disconnected from traditional genre roots. In a February 25, 2024, discussion on Reddit's r/Metalcore subreddit, users expressed disdain, arguing that her music prioritizes viral TikTok trends over substantive musical skill or innovation, likening her approach to manufactured pop appeal rather than genuine heavy music evolution.[71] These sentiments often frame her hyper-feminine aesthetics and pop-infused elements as diluting metalcore's intensity, accusing her of injecting contemporary social themes like feminism for superficial support rather than artistic depth.[71]Gatekeeping accusations have emerged within online heavy music forums, where purists contend that bimbocore undermines metal authenticity by favoring accessibility and social media virality over technical proficiency or subcultural loyalty. Commenters in the same r/Metalcore thread dismissed her as an outsider exploiting the genre for clout, questioning her credentials in comparison to established acts and suggesting her success stems from algorithmic promotion rather than organic fanbase growth.[71] Broader scene culture debates, including those in r/scene, highlight elitism where newer interpretations like Scene Queen's are gatekept as inauthentic dilutions, prioritizing performative flair over the raw, skill-driven ethos of early 2000s metalcore and emo scenes.[72]Regarding her public callouts of industry abuse via tracks like "18+", some online discourse portrays these as potentially performative, profiting from controversy to bolster her brand rather than driving systemic reform. In r/Metalcore discussions, critics viewed her lyrical confrontations of groomers and abusers in emo and metalcore scenes as opportunistic pandering, aligning with broader trends of leveraging social issues for relevance without deeper accountability measures.[71] This perspective contrasts with supporters but underscores authenticity debates, where her bold aesthetics are seen by skeptics as masking calculated market positioning over unfiltered artistic intent.[66]
Personal life
Public identity and relationships
Hannah Rose Collins, professionally known as Scene Queen, was born on May 6, 1997.[73] She maintains a low public profile regarding her family background and early personal life, with limited verifiable details available beyond her upbringing in suburban Ohio following initial years in New York.[1][74]Collins publicly identified as bisexual in 2019 and has since expressed her queer identity through personal statements emphasizing fluid attractions across genders, describing herself as "hyperpromiscuous" rather than aligned with specific labels like lesbian.[2][75] This openness informs her broader discussions of sexuality, including reflections on past experiences such as stripping, which she has cited as pivotal in developing self-awareness of her attractiveness and sexual agency.[76]Details on Collins' romantic relationships remain sparse and non-committal in public forums. In September 2023, she referenced a boyfriend in a social mediapost commenting on a photograph, but no further specifics or ongoing status have been disclosed.[77] She has occasionally shared general anxieties about relational dynamics via platforms like TikTok, without naming partners or delving into personal timelines.
Discography
Studio albums
Hot Singles in Your Area, Scene Queen's debut studio album, was released on June 28, 2024, via Hopeless Records.[18][78] The 11-track project features collaborations with artists including Wargasm on "Girls Gone Wild" and The Ready Set on "POV," building on her earlier extended plays to expand the bimbocore aesthetic with hyperpop, nu metal, and electronic elements.[26][79] Singles preceding the album included "18+" (March 16, 2023), "Pink Push-Up Bra" (September 20, 2023), "MILF" (November 1, 2023), "Finger" (March 6, 2024), and "Stuck."[78] As of October 2025, no subsequent studio albums have been released.[80]
Extended plays
Scene Queen's debut extended play, Bimbocore, was released on April 29, 2022, via Hopeless Records.[81] The five-track EP established her "bimbocore" aesthetic, characterized by aggressive metalcore riffs fused with hyperpop melodies and exaggerated feminine imagery centered on pink motifs.[82] Standout tracks included "Pink Rover," which featured viral traction on social media platforms for its satirical take on scene subculture dynamics.[81]A sequel, Bimbocore Vol. 2, followed on November 10, 2022, also through Hopeless Records.[83] Expanding to seven tracks, it maintained the core sound while incorporating collaborations, such as with Set It Off on "Barbie & Ken," a single that amassed significant streaming numbers and highlighted interpersonal drama themes.[84] The EP reinforced her evolving style by amplifying pop-punk influences alongside heavier breakdowns, positioning it as a bridge to her full-length album work.
Singles as lead artist
Scene Queen's lead singles have primarily supported her debut studio album Hot Singles in Your Area (2024), with subsequent standalone releases. "18+" was released on March 16, 2023, as the lead single, blending metalcore elements with lyrics confronting sexual grooming and abuse in the music industry.[85][86] This was followed by "Pink Push-Up Bra" in September 2023, which preceded further promotional tracks for the album.[87]"MILF", released on November 1, 2023, accompanied the album announcement and incorporated country-metal fusion, produced by Zach Jones under Hopeless Records.[88][89] "Platform Shoes" arrived later as a standalone single on September 3, 2025, via Hopeless Records, coinciding with the start of her UK headline tour and featuring disco influences.[90][91][92]None of these singles achieved positions on major Billboard charts, though they contributed to building anticipation for her full-length release through streaming platforms and social media promotion.[93]
Singles as featured artist
Scene Queen provided guest vocals on Set It Off's single "Win Win", released May 11, 2023, which combines the band's established pop-punk instrumentation with her hyperpop-infused delivery and thematic elements of empowerment and rivalry.[94] The track, produced by Set It Off members and released independently of their prior albumElsewhere (2022), marked a crossover collaboration highlighting Scene Queen's rising influence in alternative scenes.[41]