After much anticipation, Camila Cabello released her debut album Camila, (formerly known as The Hurting, The Healing, The Loving) on Friday, January 12, 2018.
In 2017, Camila broke out as a solo artist with her song “Havana”, which became a smash hit, and according to Billboard, “the longest reign for a song by a solo female in a lead role in nearly five years.” Even before her album was released, Camila was the top breakout artist on Spotify in 2017.
In December 2016, Camila left Fifth Harmony with some contradictory statements coming from her and the group, without clear knowledge of what went on behind the breakup. However, Camila wishes to keep it that way. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she stated, “I don’t like to ruin the dream. They believed in something that’s beautiful. I’m sure with One Direction, too, nobody really saw behind the scenes. You just see the dream”.
Camila’s album feels like she used the writing process as an outlet. Credited as a writer in all of the songs, it is easy to feel as though we are reading her journal entries. She really focused on the songs’ lyrics, being as true to herself as possible. Songs as “All These Years,” a guitar-ridden ballad about not getting over an ex, and “Consequences”, a song about how breakups feel, have that singer-songwriter feel reminiscing of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran songs.
The album also has some amazing upbeat songs such as “Never Be the Same,” Camila’s new single, which captures that feeling you get when you realize that one person is going to have a lasting impact on your life. Some must-hear songs are “She Loves Control” and “Inside Out”, where Camila brings out her Latina heritage like in “Havana,” resulting in songs with tropical beats which are sure to get you dancing.
One of the album’s most revealing songs is “Something’s Gotta Give.” Coming from a vulnerable rather than spiteful place with lyrics like:
“No reason to stay is a good reason to go and You’re good at making me feel small. If it doesn’t hurt me, why do I still cry?” It’s hard not to feel like this song addresses why Camila felt she needed to leave Fifth Harmony.
However, I feel like the album should have been a little longer, given that at 37 minutes, it leaves you wanting more. Even though she has some songs with latin influenced rhythms, I would have liked to hear her sing in Spanish. Perhaps a song like the “Havana” remix featuring Daddy Yankee?
Overall, this is a great debut album where Camila lets people know the real her. The songs do a great job at showing different sides to Camila, and you can tell she bared her soul and put forth her greatest effort in order to release an album that has reached #1 on over 100 countries on the day of its release. If this is any indication for the future, Camila’s poised for a great solo career and we will be hearing from her for years to come!