The Knightly News

From 2012 to 2017, singer Camila Cabello was in the popular girl group, Fifth Harmony.  However, on January 12th, she released her debut album called Camila as a solo artist.  Just hours after the release, Cabello topped the iTunes Top 100 in over 90 countries and broke the record for most number ones on iTunes for a debut album.  It’s safe to say that Camila is taking the world by storm.  

The album is comprised of ballads about relationships, break ups, and the complications of love.  Through Camila, Cabello gives fans a look into her personal life and feelings about heartbreak.

Of course, Cabello’s quick rise to success with Camila can be partially attributed to her chart-topping single “Havana,” which was released in August of 2017.  The song was a play on Cabello’s Cuban roots, as well as her love for Latin-flavored pop music.  “Havana” is one of those singles that creeps its way into the charts, and manages to stay up there.

While people thought Cabello would be unable to top her own success after “Havana,” there are plenty of other tracks that I predict will come close, one of them being the reggaeton-fueled “She Loves Control.”  Like “Havana,” “She Loves Control” is an upbeat track, and features DJ Skrillex in the background.  Throughout the song, Cabello’s vocal range is astounding as she leaps from one octave to another.  Overall, the song is a sultry summer number which gives makes you want to get up and dance.

Similarly, the track “Inside Out,” effectively uses the thumping beat of a bass drum to resemble an almost Amazon forest-esque vibe.  Cabello slips in Spanish phrases every now and then which makes the song as a whole feel more personal and original to the generic pop music we have all become so accustomed to.  Listeners experience a sensation of euphoria upon listening to “Inside Out,” because you are so engrossed in the piano, steel drum-tinged beat, and the bouncy melody.

On the other hand, in the gut-wrenching ballad “Consequences,” Cabello sings about coping with a breakup, with her expert use of rhyme in lyrics like “dirty tissues and trust issues,” it’s evident that she has spent a lot of time focusing on the constriction of her lyrics.   She also manages to achieve a perfect balance in her vocals—firm, controlled, but delicate.  

Last but not least, the track “Into it” ends her album off on a high note, and it is the biggest standout.  The pop song is a radio-friendly hit giving off a off a slick vibe. Cabello couples an electronic beat with sultry lyrics, singing about a possible love interest.  However, with the radio-friendly nature of this song, Cabello seems to forego the individuality and personal touch which made the rest of the album so great.

Camila is sparing on electronic beats which is found in generic pop music, and bigger on acoustic guitar.  The lyrics are genuine and raw, infusing Latin American culture into a mainstream American media. There are no “filler songs,” as every song is memorable in its own way.