CAMILA CABELLO

“Camila”

(Album Review)

Reviewer: Jamie Velevski

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Who’s ready for 2018’s most anticipated debut album yet?

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Former Fifth Harmony band member gone solo Camila Cabello has finally dropped what has to be one of the most awaited pop albums of the last few years. After breaking into the music scene alone in early 2017, the uprising star has found success with solo releases such as Crying in the Club, I Have Questions and OMG featuring Quavo. However, it was her promotional single turned worldwide number one hit Havana featuring Young Thug that truly exposed the young songstress to the world on a monumental scale. Due to Havana’s success, the track was immediately made the lead single to her debut album Camila where the single still holds a tight spot in the top 2 on the worldwide charts after several months. Hitting 4x platinum in Australia and 2x platinum in the United States, there’s no guarantee that this pocket rocket of an artist is going to deliver much more success through the release of Camila.

Although Fifth Harmony has since tried on many different genres to generate a hit, Camila has without a doubt found her sound with Camila. The first track on the album Never Be the Same, which will now serve as the second single for the album, is a mid-tempo track that allows for high-pitched vocals to shine through. We see vulnerability within the artist where she’s admitting to a drastic change in her life from this natural obsession she has with a potential lover. An immaculate range of vocals showcases the starlet’s ability to make the listener feel her words through this rollercoaster of a track.

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“Something must have gone wrong in my brain,

Got your chemicals all in my veins”

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All These Years indicates simplicity in Camila’s song writing and music style as the artist uses few background sounds that once again highlights the serenity of her vocals. We repetitively see how the songstress uses lyrics to exemplifying the depth of her experiences, as her past can be one that comes across as extremely relatable. In this Sia-type styled track, She Loves Control embraces the power of a woman as this theme is centred within this hip swaying dance tune. Think of a Camila gone wild in Cuba, this track will make any woman feel unstoppable.

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The album’s fourth track Havana featuring Young Thug is a complete change of pace as the hit single creates an uplifting and important transition from susceptibility to desire. The songstress expresses her Cuban roots in this dance track as she pines for lust with a former lover like no other. Its Latin flavour has become the icon of Camila’s progression from girl band to solo superstar. Inside out serves as an unofficial part two for Havana as the upbeat track shares comparisons with its musical flow and language. The artist deems that she’s the best lover, which conveys a new spark of confidence for the album.

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“I knew it when I met him,

I loved him when I left him”

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Slowing things down in Consequences, another side of Camila is made evident through this hard-hitting piano ballad where a love so strong had left the singer bruised and broken. Through powerful vocals and heavy lyrics where a true heartbreak is captured, a track so painful may be deemed hard to listen to again. Keeping things more personal, the steady strums of the guitar in Real Friends illustrates that not only love is lost in this album as friends become the artists next depletion. Through a captivating message, a vivid image of Camila’s experiences becomes the focal point of her album as the purity of this track indicates the rawness of her talent.

Something’s Gotta Give is that dramatic piano ballad that the album was yearning for. In this track, Camila is stuck between a game of should I stay or should I go. Through compromising her efforts to save this dark love, her vocals once again remains the stand out in allowing her audience to feel each and every word. Trying to uncover the truth about a possible friend, In the Dark uses a subtle instrumental with a heavy drumbeat with lyrics that will hit the heart. Camila tries to strip down the layers in order to reveal the struggle without the pain. Leaving things to lucky last, Into It possesses that sexy side of Camila that the album was lacking. The play on words along with a teaseful attitude ignites that same fire effect from her previous non-album promotional single OMG. Although her vocals are made to be soared, this track showcases versatility in genre and technique.

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“No reason to stay is a good reason to go”

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Camila is without doubt on point with this album as her vocals and flexibility demonstrate a refreshing and much needed addition to the pop scene. The starlet’s ability to change moods but still stay consistent in conveying a message highlights her superior song writing skills that may have been shadowed in Fifth Harmony. The songstress has flawlessly created an iconic sound that has effortlessly set herself up for success with this miracle of an album. Personal favourites would have to be Real Friends for its honesty and Into It for its cheeky vibe. By working alongside the likes of Frank Dukes and Ryan Tedder, it looks like Camila has hit the nail on the head with her passion to go solo and share her story. If you’re not a #Camilinizer  yet, then there’s no questioning you will be after listening to this little piece of pure art.

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Looking for your soundtrack to 2018? Camila Cabello has got you covered.

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Connect with CAMILA CABELLO

Website     Facebook     Twitter     YouTube     Instagram

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