Inspired by her own struggles with body image and sexual trauma, Los Angeles art-rock force Savannah Pope channels these deeply personal experiences into a bold, theatrical statement in “Panopticon.”
The track borrows its title from the concept of total surveillance, capturing the unsettling feeling of moving through the world while being constantly watched, weighed, and judged by the past.
The title also evokes 18th-century philosopher Jeremy Bentham’s famous prison design, a circular structure with a central guard tower that allows a single supervisor to observe every cell without inmates knowing when they are actually being watched. Believing they are under constant surveillance, the prisoners eventually internalise the guard’s gaze and begin policing themselves.
Viewed through that lens, the single applies the idea of the Panopticon to the lasting psychological effects of body image struggles and sexual trauma. The prison tower becomes an internal state of mind, reflecting the unsettling feeling of carrying an invisible judge wherever you go. Even in complete solitude, the sense of being watched, weighed, and measured lingers long after the original experience has passed.
That internalised surveillance comes into focus in the accompanying music video, particularly during a sequence centred around a measuring tape in a dressing room. The mirror and the tape measure become modern stand-ins for the guard tower, transforming an intimate space into a surreal reflection of how women’s bodies are constantly observed, judged, and shaped by societal expectations. The sequence explores how that external gaze can become internalised, influencing the way women view themselves and their own bodies. Paired with lavish Rococo-inspired visuals and operatic rock, the imagery becomes both emotionally powerful and visually striking.
“Panopticon” follows a series of career milestones, including opening for Erasure’s Andy Bell across North America, selling out nights at LA’s Fonda Theatre, and making her New York headline debut at Joe’s Pub. It also offers an early look at Savannah Pope’s forthcoming EP, which blends baroque pop grandeur with operatic rock.
