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What is the most underrated song on Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘EMOTION’?

Yes, we all love “Run Away With Me.” But the whole album is full of absolute bangers

By KC Hoard, Mel Woods, Oliver Haug • August 20, 2025 3:40 pm EDT

This week marks 10 years since the North American release of Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2015 album, EMOTION. The album has garnered a cult following amongst critics and queers alike for its ’80s-inspired sound, clear lyricism and effervescent joy.

And while singles like “Run Away With Me” and “I Really Like You” get plenty of attention, the album is full of bops from start to finish.

Three Xtra editors weigh in on their favourite underrated gems on Jepsen’s seminal pop work.

This week at Xtra, we’re celebrating a decade of Carly Rae Jepsen’s EMOTION with a series called E•MO•TEN. This essay is one of several pieces we’re publishing to commemorate the album’s deep impact on the LGBTQ2S+ community. You can check out the rest of the series here.

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KC Hoard is the Associate Editor, Culture at Xtra.

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Senior editor Mel Woods is an English-speaking Vancouver-based writer, editor and audio producer and a former associate editor with HuffPost Canada. A proud prairie queer and ranch dressing expert, their work has also appeared in Vice, Slate, the Tyee, the CBC, the Globe and Mail and the Walrus.

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Contributing editor Oliver Haug (they/them) is a freelance writer based in the Bay Area, California. Their work focuses on LGBTQ2S+ issues and sexual politics, and has appeared in Bitch, them, Ms and elsewhere.

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Video, Culture, Music, Video, E•MO•TEN, Canada

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