Teenage Tragedy

"Teenage Tragedy" is the third single taken from MIDNIGHT's third studio album Riot Grrrl and was released on October 14, 2013 in the UK. The single topped the charts in its first week for release and became her tenth number one single. It was certified Platinum in its fourth week on chart. It remains her second best selling single to date, after "Money Equals Love".

Reception
While the original version of the song received extremely positive reviews for its hard-hitting lyrics when it was first heard, reviews were mixed surrounding the radio premiere, some saying that MIDNIGHT was "selling out" by changing lyrics to the song to fit with radio standards.

Controversy
Controversy surrounded the single choice for "Teenage Tragedy" due to the lyrical subject, which sees MIDNIGHT talk about unprotected sex, self-harm, suicide, alcohol abuse and other extreme topics. A radio edit of the song was sent out on September 12, 2013 which was re-recorded to make the lyrics more suitable for daytime listening.

Music video


The video opens with MIDNIGHT on the phone, the scene cutting away to show who she's on the phone to, a male model who plays MIDNIGHT's troublesome boyfriend in the video. None of their conversation is heard, except the dramatic intro music to the song. Assuming they've agreed to meet up, we see them lying on a bed in a motel room, deep purple lightning shining over her and her boyfriend. As the pace to the instrumental intro quickens, quick shots cut between of her singing on the bed, wrapping her arms around the man and nibbling his earlobe, just before the first verse hits. We see MIDNIGHT in what looks to be a parking lot, standing in the middle of it with nothing on but black lingerie, fishnets and a fur coat. She stands confidently, singing along to the first verse and teasingly dropping her coat every now and then to expose her body. The scene moves to an angry looking MIDNIGHT, walking along a dark road with a baseball bat in hand. She pauses and turns her head as the camera moves too to show a car next to her, she powerfully lifts the bat and smashes it down onto the car's windscreen, instantly smashing the glass. Playing up the role of the teenage tragedy in the lyrics to the track, she poses in the dead of night on a police car, shots switching between her laying seductively on the bonnet, and on the side of the car, waiting for her boyfriend to appear again. As he arrives, the chorus begins & she smirks over in his direction and jumps down from the police car, taking him by the hand and leading him into a small supermarket on the side of the road. They walk down a few of the shopping aisles and knock items off the shelves, before the man backs her up against a shelf and they begin to kiss, others in the shop looking on in disgust. The scene quickly cuts to MIDNIGHT and her boyfriend kissing once again, sat in the back of a police car as the camera spies on them through the front of the car. This switches between a scene of MIDNIGHT strutting down a road fiercely with a vicious dog on a leash, as it barks a few times at the camera, MIDNIGHT taking no notice and continuing to walk. We see MIDNIGHT back in the phone box, smiling on the other end as she unzips her leather shorts and slides her hand into them, arching her back and leaning against the back of the phone box, beginning to pleasure herself. Wearing the same outfit as seen in the parking lot scene earlier in the video, MIDNIGHT walks down a dark street, holding her fur coat in hand as cars pass her by, some of the drivers faces seen, looking on shocked at her outfit. MIDNIGHT continues to walk and drops her fur coat onto the ground, smirking devilishly, before pulling out a lighter. She lights the coat on fire and it goes up in flames, MIDNIGHT looks on unimpressed, her head turning to look at her surroundings. The chorus begins again, and MIDNIGHT is seen back in the parking lot as she sings, her body moving more energetically to the song, circling her hips and sliding her hands over her body. MIDNIGHT and the male model are seen in the motel room again for the middle-eight. The man is seen smoking on the bed, whilst MIDNIGHT is in a pink bra on the floor, low quality footage of herself appearing on the television placed next to her. The video ends on the final chorus with MIDNIGHT turning away from the blazing fire, turning her back and walking away as the fire begins to fill the screen, until nothing else is seen.

Live performances

 * The X Factor UK

Track listings

 * Promo CD
 * 1) "Teenage Tragedy" (Radio Edit)


 * CD1
 * 1) "Teenage Tragedy"
 * 2) "Soul to Sell"
 * 3) "Real Fucking Life"


 * CD2
 * 1) "Teenage Tragedy"
 * 2) "Teenage Tragedy" (Twin Shadow Remix)
 * 3) "Teenage Tragedy" Riddler Remix)