It’s been a little over a year since Camila Cabello, the former 5th Harmony member, went rogue and kissed her girl band days buh-bye to pursue her individual musical interests. Camila has collaborated with various artists over the past year including Shawn Mendes, Machine Gun Kelly and Major Lazer. But on January 12, 2018, she finally bestowed upon us her very own long-awaited self-titled pop album and we’re definitely “Into It.”
When a member of a pop group dares to break ties with their band, there are two directions in which they can take in the pursuit of a solo career; they can either reintroduce themselves to the world as a stronger reinvention of their former self, or they can fall short into the depths of disappointing tracks that waste away on playlists only to be skipped over time after time. After Camila’s sour split from 5th Harmony, her nerve and biting ambition combined effortlessly with her flair for the dramatic to create the breakout hit called “Havana.” The song not only celebrated her true superstar solo-debut, but also her Cuban background. After fizzling out with the single “Crying in the Club,” Camila’s “Havana” emitted undeniably real personality, charm and history. Camila’s self-titled album followed months later and provided the same charisma and potential for growth that would certainly have the power to push the pop genre forward for decades to come.
Courtesy: NME
Now, like any breakout artist, the first album released won’t be without flaws. In fact, Camila is far from perfection, but that doesn’t make her songs any less worthy of wailing at the top of my lungs in my bedroom…And in my car… And in my friends’ cars when I force them to hand me the aux cord so I can blast it through their speakers too. Many of the songs are Top 40 pop material, and yet I’m not ashamed to say that I’m obsessed. Camila’s songs, like “Inside Out” for example, are light and breezy with tropical tones that bounce between English and Spanish origin. She offers delicate and primarily acoustic tunes like “Real Friends” and “All These Years” that feature gentle vocal runs that seem to melodically unwind from endless spools to tell a narrative of lost chances and loneliness as a young woman in an unfamiliar environment. Personal favorites of my own include pop hybrids “In the Dark,” “Never Be the Same” and “Into It” that feature subtle splashes of rock influence here and there and storylines based on romantic turmoil. “She Loves Control” even seems to touch upon the subject of Camila being told she couldn’t explore her own individuality through the means of her music while being in a girl band. “Somethings Gotta Give” and “Consequences” are simple ballads that slow down the album’s traction with their repetitive nature, yet continue to contribute to Camila’s potential as a budding lyricist and music artist in general.
Overall, it’s clear that Camila’s first album is a sure success. She has become the first female artist, since Adele’s 2016 album release, to simultaneously acquire three spots within Artist Top 100, Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums chart. There is no doubt that Camila will continue to top charts and mature as an artist while providing us with many more songs to sing at the top of our lungs.