I’ve been bopping to Troye Sivan’s long-awaited second studio album, Bloom, since it dropped a few weeks ago on August 31. It’s been nearly three years since this Australian YouTuber-turned-Popstar released his first album, Blue Neighborhood. While there are still plenty of people out there who have never heard of Troye Sivan, he continues to grow more and more mainstream everyday.
So….Bloom. Troye has teased us about the arrival of this album for what feels like years. Was it worth the wait? Well, yes! I’m certainly a fan. Overall, Bloom is a very well-rounded album. Do I love every song? No. But I have compiled a list of my favorite songs from this ten-track album, and let me tell you, this was no easy task for me. This list changed about ten times before I was satisfied with my top four, so (in no particular order) here it goes….
1. “My My My!”
This was the first single released off Bloom, way back in January of this year. (See, I told you Troye likes to tease his fans.) To be honest, this would have to be my least favorite of my top four tracks I have on this list, but I feel that it’s still deserving of a spot here. Back at the time of its release, this song earned some radio play here in the states, which is exciting news for Troye, as he has yet to grow super mainstream in America. The song didn’t really seem to stick around on radio stations for long, unfortunately, but it’s a good sign that his exposure (and maybe eventual popularity) is increasing. It’s not surprising to me that this is the track his record label chose to push onto radio airwaves. It’s very pop-y and upbeat, while still capturing the seductive, sometimes gritty style of the Bloom album as a whole. If nothing else, “My My My!” is the perfect song to dance and strut around to, making us all feel like the confident queen we have buried inside us. And speaking of strutting, Troye does plenty of that in the music video to this song….
2. “Lucky Strike”
At the moment, this is probably my number one favorite track on Bloom. This song has that fun pop side of Troye’s music that I love so much, without having that in-your-face pop style, such as the style showcased in Troye’s song “My My My!,” or the songs of many other current artists. This bop definitely serves some serious late night dance-in-the-summer-rain vibes. The chorus in “Lucky Strike” is easily one of my favorites I’ve ever heard from Troye, musically and lyrically. I also love the pop culture reference to Lucky Strike cigarettes written into the chorus: “”Cause you taste like Lucky Strikes. You drag, I light.”
3. “Dance To This” (ft. Ariana Grande)
Sensual, smooth, and sultry. When I first heard that Troye was recording a song with pop queen Ariana Grande, I admittedly thought there was no way his voice was going to be able to hold its own against Ariana’s powerful pipes. Don’t get me wrong….Troye has a nice voice—very smooth, pretty, great tone—but it does not hold a candle to what Ariana is capable of. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by how their voices play off each others in “Dance To This.” I would describe this song as somewhat understated. It’s kind of bluesy and melancholy. Not showy at all, in my opinion. And it works so well this way! The music video is great too—easily my favorite Troye has ever brought us! I’m pretty sure I’ve played the end of the “Dance To This” music video, which features the two singers dancing in a strobe light effect on tabletops, at least 30 times.
4. “Seventeen”
Poignant and wistful and melodic; the very first time I heard this song, I fell in love with its beautiful musical composition. This first track on the Bloom album is very pretty and pleasant to listen to. It’s also reminiscent of some of Troye’s musical style from his previous album and EP, but with a slightly different style that reflects this album’s feeling of timelessness, which is a quality I feel some of his past work was lacking. In “Seventeen,” Troye, now 23 years old, recalls what it was like to be seriously in love at the age of, well, seventeen (or so we can assume). This is another perfect summer song! Take a listen and wait for the goosebumps to hit when the chorus sneaks up on you!
Let’s not forget a couple Honorable Mentions: “Animal” and “What a Heavenly Way to Die“!!