Camila Cabello
Camila

Release Date: 2018 | Tracklist

So many things can happen over the course of just one year, but for an artist to soar as high as ex-Fifth Harmony leader Camila Cabello has in that short time is nothing short of remarkable. Making the exit from a star-studded girl group as she did, was one of the most difficult decisions Camila has made in her career, having to soak in all the praise and criticism from fans alike. There was no doubt however, that this time in her life would come. Camila's raspy, angelic voice had always been something that stood out to me during the Reflection and 7/27 eras, standing out amongst the five. She was delivering hits outside of her group collective, with her collaboration with rapper MGK on the somberly romantic "Bad Things" being a Top-5 radio hit. Again, there was no doubt her time would come. Now, with all that momentum on her side, it has culminated in an excellent debut that was originally supposed to be just like what Sam Smith did; a debut filled in sadness and gut-wrenching to the heart. While "CAMILA" does tell some of that story, it also shines on a happier, more liberated Cabello whose emotion, pride, and sass shows and gains ground ever since she made that life-changing decision on that cold, December night.

In a recent Instagram post regarding the title change and its meaning, Camila laid it simply - "It started with somebody else's story, it ended with me finding my way back to myself." That is the definitive of the album, and it firstly wasn't going to be like this. It wasn't gonna be peaches and roses; this was going to be a funeral procession of sorts over someone and the wish to have something 'real', something healthy and kept. Shades of this do bleed in her debut, with her emotive entrance "Never Be The Same" being a perfect example of that. Covered in cold, wintery synths and up-tempo, epic drums; Camila captures the addiction that comes with loving someone and losing it all in elegant, heartbreaking fashion. Awe-inspiring lyricism as harmonized in the vulnerable hook, "I'm a sucker for the way that you move babe/and I could try to run, but it would be useless/just one hit of you, I knew I'll never be the same" snapshots the emotional rollercoaster, and that capture of the moment has always been Camila's strength. She's also captured this in the acoustic, dim-lit pop ballad "All These Years", a relatable homage to a short encounter with a certain someone that you cannot have, but still in viable pursuit of. Touched with a simple pair of moving, tearful guitar and Camila's heavenly, chilling voice; it feels as if all the lights are turned down, the spotlight is on her, and all the feelings on her sleeve spill out, right then and there. It's undoubtedly one of her most powerful pieces to date, as you can feel her struggle with the inability to not have the one she loves, but she's holding on and trying to find her way back to herself again - and that strong will in her heart holds true as you progress through her journey.

Rising from the ashes of heartache, is when you see Camila begin to build confidence in herself over the course of this story. It begins out with what is now her biggest hit to date, the soothing, tropical "Havana"; a personal ode to her humble beginnings in the historic capital of Cuba, and falling in love with a boy there. This tropic cocktail, with some production by the legendary Pharrell, pulsates with romantic piano, vintage horns that call back to the peak of the towering Cuban capital, and an infectious hook to top it off - and it comes away as one of the signature moments of the album. Camila's sultry vocals match well with the summery vibes this gives off, displaying her sass and unafraid to let her heart be open again to love and romance. It's such a major step forward from the feeling of loss earlier before, giving her the ability to be happy again, to just feel something positive again. From that point onward, Camila isn't afraid to let herself loose. Sleek, kaleidoscopic pieces like the cheerful, colorful "Inside Out" showcases Camila's fun, flirtatious side in a plethora of whimsical piano and tangy synths. We also get to see her deliver her passionate wishes to her lover in the Taylor Swift-esque "Into It", as it touches onto a side of Cabello that we rarely have seen, voided of innocence while she boldly announces to her lover, "I see a king-size bed in the corner/we should get into it."

Camila Cabello's self-titled debut is the coronation of a year of aching hearts, euphoria, and hard work ever since the move to becoming a solo pop artist. The negatives she has had to deal with since making this life-changing move turn on its head as Cabello finds her way to becoming the happy, free person she's wanted to be; in her career and in her life. It shows in the fantastical sound it delivers, scaling from the chilling pop ballads to the upbeat, sparkling pop spectacles that showcase her up-and-down journey of the past year. Camila has come a long way since being one of the five girls on the X-Factor that became Fifth Harmony in 2012, and leading the charge for them to become the most successful girl-group of the past decade had no doubts within music circles that she too, would lead her own furious ascent to stardom. She already has reached this point in 2018, delivering what could already be called the best pop album of the year is just the cherry on top. It was only a matter of when Camila would get to this moment, but it is here now. Her time, her moment has finally arrived.

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