America is Americana again

Every four years, Americans are called to vote to choose the president between the two main parties: the Democrats and the Republicans. This system has been in place since the founding of the United States of America, but although the voting process never changes, this year's November 5th elections feel different. Not only because we find ourselves choosing between a former president under trial and the current vice president who joined the race at the last minute, but because America has suddenly become Americana again in the past year. "Americana" is not only in the patriotic sense but also in its cultural symbols: folklore, music, myths, and traditions that represent the very essence of American identity. Country music, for example, has not only come back into fashion but has become the dominant genre at the top of the charts, displacing rap, which had held the title since the mid-2010s. Beyoncé, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran (who is English), and Lana Del Rey are among the biggest names in the pop industry who in 2024 have collectively decided to embrace country music. Perhaps the most palpable rise to fame in the music industry this past year is that of Chappell Roan, Miss Americana par excellence (or almost), who with her aesthetic and drag performances has rekindled a sense of belonging to the Midwest, the often-overlooked region of the United States known for states with "South," "North," and those starting with "M." And so, propelled by new socio-cultural winds, America has rediscovered its most authentic soul, becoming suddenly and intensely "Americana".

This year's elections are different. Not so much because something has changed in the system, but because their importance is almost unprecedented. If previously Democrats mocked Trump, considering him a "big fat joke," after the Capitol assault on January 6, 2021, the blue party realized that Trump was not a force to be underestimated. The American two-party system has often been criticized for its polarization: it's either black or white, with no gray areas. And as absurd as it may seem, the system works by creating two factions of the population that often have nothing in common; yet, the concept of freedom is the core of both candidates' propaganda, interpreted as freedom for oneself by Harris and as freedom against others by Trump. This has ignited a sense of belonging among the new generations on both sides. On social media, especially YouTube, as the electoral campaign progresses, more and more videos of young Democrats and Republicans debating the crucial points of the candidates' platforms are being uploaded. A video of over two hours published on the Jubilee channel reached 2 million views in the first 24 hours, and among some videos from recent weeks, a debate between Charlie Kirk (Republican political commentator) and twenty Gen Z Democrats amassed 20 million views. The profound change between past elections and the current ones is the dominant sentiment among the liberal Gen Z: if before they focused on ridiculing and being ashamed of their homeland, now among various interviewees there is a prevailing sense of revenge, almost indicating a desire to reclaim their country's reputation. All this political ferment is fueling the phenomenon of Americana, reinvigorating interest in cultural roots and national identity.

In popular culture, the "Americana" aesthetic has returned to the forefront not only in music but also in fashion: increasingly more trends born on American soil are embracing elements mostly connected to country culture. Just consider the Louis Vuitton FW24 collection by Pharrell, or the full-Americana show by Ralph Lauren in the Hamptons for the SS25 collection, or observe the dress code of concerts over the past year, where cowboy boots and hats have been commonplace. At the same time, many stars are abandoning the "glitz and glamour" of big cities to move closer to the rural countryside of the central region of the US. Foremost among them is supermodel Bella Hadid, who left her jet-setter lifestyle and Downtown New York apartment to move to a ranch with her boyfriend (a cowboy in name and deed) and participate in horse rodeos, practically like in the Far West. More recently, Lana Del Rey's unexpected marriage to an unknown crocodile expert has reignited the eternal nostalgia for the aesthetic of her first album, which revolves around a world of Route 66 and "stars and stripes." On social media, this return to the "Americana" aesthetic has been more than noticeable. From curious trends like the ultra-viral audio of the American anthem with "What the fuck is a kilometer" shouted over it, to the format "the European mind simply cannot comprehend this", to those celebrating the aesthetics of the Midwest, cowboys, and Route 66, all accumulating millions of views and likes.

In a world where most of Gen Z grew up on a diet of American cultural hegemony, the United States lost its influence on the media between the late 2010s and the beginning of this decade. Considering that until a few years ago almost all films, series, and musical content consumed en masse came from the major Hollywood industries, today it's enough to look around the main media platforms to realize that the creative industry has finally become global. Especially notable are Korean and Hispanic productions, which, with their cultural identities, have managed to climb to the top of the Billboard music charts. And if in recent years the idea of life in the United States had become "cringe", thanks to the renaissance of the American aesthetic, the new wave of aesthetic patriotism has permeated the new generation. In her second single "Diet Pepsi," the new quintessential it-girl, Addison Rae praises the American flag by modernizing the archetype of the 1960s Hollywood starlet. As noted by Brandon Holder in one of his essays, perhaps America has finally come out of its "flop era".