C, XOXO: Unique Era For Camila Cabello!
Goodbye nice girl, hello baddie, which totally describes Camila Cabello’s new era! I have been following Cabello since her Fifth Harmony days, enjoying her music. From hits such as “Havana,” “Senorita,” “Crying in the Club,” and “Bam Bam,” Cabello is having a success with her solo music career. It’s been two years since we got Cabello’s last album, Familia, but Cabello has returned with a new look and sound. Her new album, C, XOXO, which was released on June 28th, displays Cabello with blonde hair and empowered. This new album also shows a different side of Cabello, as the sound and lyrics are different from her previous albums. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on Cabello’s new era.
Listening to the album, I have mixed thoughts on this era. Even though this album has twelve songs, the songs felt too short for me, making this an album a fast listen. For example, eight out of twelve songs on the album fall around 2 minutes, such as “Chanel No. 5”, which falls around 2:40. I do like listening to long albums, so I was expecting more from Cabello on this album. Also, I’ve seen some people say that it didn’t feel like it was a true Camila Cabello album because of the guest features, which I agree with. For example, before the album came out, Cabello revealed that Drake was a musical guest on two of the songs. So when it came to track nine, which is called “Uuugly,” I thought that it would be Cabello and Drake together. I was surprised because it turns out to be only Drake, making it a Drake song. I did like the song, but it felt out of place since it’s Cabello’s album, not a Drake album.
Those are really only my negatives thoughts on the album, but I will say that I didn’t care for all of the songs. Now, I would like to focus on the positive, which are the songs that I enjoyed on the album. As I mentioned, I did enjoy “Uuugly,” especially “Hot Uptown” which he is featured on as well. One thing I particularly like about these songs, but the album generally is the sound. When it comes to “Hot Uptown,” the sound is upbeat and it’s a perfect song that you could dance to. Even though the sound of “Uuugly” is slow, I enjoy it as you can still vibe to it. Another song that I enjoy listening to off this album is “He Knows (feat Lil Nas X).” This song was released as a single to promote the album. The song also had people making reaction and dance videos, making the song popular. I enjoy this song as well because the sound is upbeat and fun, making it a perfect song to dance to at a party, club, etc. Also, a song that didn’t get released as a single that I enjoy is “Dream-Girls.” I do like that this is another song that you can dance to, especially with the girls. But the message behind the song really catches my eye, as it’s for empowering girls going into womanhood. Sometimes young women don’t feel confident about themselves, but Cabello is saying that we are sexy, beautiful, etc. and that we are contributing to the world. So I really appreciate Cabello for making this anthem, which may help young women feel confident.
As I come to the end of my review, I will say that this is not my favorite album by Cabello. Like I mentioned earlier in my review, the length of the songs and the musical guests is the reason to this. Even though I do prefer Cabello’s previous albums, I still did enjoy some of the songs off the album. Since the album’s release, there has been mixed reviews, as some have enjoyed the new look and sound, while others think this era is a flop. Even though this is the case, I know Cabello will continue to find success. And even though this era is not my favorite, Cabello still has my support and I look forward to seeing where her solo career takes her.
You can listen to C,XOXO on any musical platforms. If you want a physical copy, check out Cabello’s website and retailers such as Target.
If you made it to the bottom, thanks for reading this music review. I hope you check out my other reviews and subscribe- Brianna