Christian musician Matthew West is removing his new song “Modest is Hottest” from some online platforms amid controversy following its release this month.
On YouTube, a message reads, “This video has been removed by the uploader,” and attempts to view the video with the audio of the song on TikTok results in a note that says, “The copyright owner hasn’t made this sound available in your country.”
The song was still accessible on Spotify as of press time on Friday.
West, who jovially encourages his daughter to dress more modestly in the song, received backlash on social media for what critics called the promotion of unhealthy evangelical “purity culture.”
“Dear daughter, it’s me, your father,” West sings. “I think it’s time we had a talk. The boys are comin’ round ‘cus you’re beautiful, and it’s all your mother’s fault.”
“Modest is hottest. The latest fashion trend is a little more Amish, a little less Kardashian,” he also sings, adding, “What the boys really love is a turtleneck and a sensible pair of slacks.”
On TikTok, the portion that received the most attention was when West sings, “If I catch you doin’ dances on the TikTok in a crop top, so help me God, you’ll be grounded ’til the world stops. I’m just kiddin’. No, I’m not. Cus modest is hottest.”
Audrey Assad, another Christian musician, criticized the song on Twitter.
“‘Modest is hottest’ still centers [around] men and their preferences in how women should look—still sets being found hot by men as the ultimate goal for women—and positions all men as creeps who can’t handle seeing a woman’s bare skin without turning into out of control monsters,” she said.
“Modest is hottest” still centers men and their preferences in how women should look—still sets being found hot by men as the ultimate goal for women—and positions all men as creeps who can’t handle seeing a woman’s bare skin without turning into out of control monsters.
— Audrey Assad (@audreyassad) June 20, 2021
In a statement posted to Instagram, West expressed his regret over how the song was perceived but stopped short of apologizing for releasing it.
“I’m blessed to be the father of two amazing daughters,” he said. “I wrote a song poking fun at myself for being an over-protective dad and my family thought it was funny. The song was created as satire, and I realize that some people did not receive it as it was intended. I’ve taken the feedback to heart. The last thing I want is to distract from the real reason I make music: to spread a message of hope and love to the world.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to West’s management for comment on the video’s removal but did not immediately hear back.
