Camila Cabello, formerly from the girl group “Fifth Harmony,” just released her first solo album. She first announced she would be doing a solo album last May and she had titled it “The Hurting. The Loving. The Healing.” In an interview about the album, she said the record would be about the journey she took. In her own words, the album captures the following journey, “darkness into light, from a time when I was lost to a time when I found myself again.” And found herself she did.  

Camila Cabello is a Cuban-American artist and her new album truly invites her listeners to go on an adventure with her. She has come a long way since her early girl-group days.

Personally, I think this whole album is full of great songs with a message and something for everyone. There are slow songs, about both love and breakups, there are lovely lyrical songs perfect for a contemporary dance piece or if you just want to have a good cry, and there are also dance songs where the beat is so sick, it has inspired so many choreography videos on youtube.  

The album is appropriately titled “Camila” and it is clear Camila Cabello has found her voice. She has matured and she has come to play and win with this new album. Of course, “Havana” has the been the song of hers currently gaining the most attention. It’s sassy, inspired by her latin roots, and its musical breakdown showcases that Camila can hold her own when it comes to dancing and putting on a show. However, creating and putting out her first solo album wasn’t always a smooth ride.

Although “Havana” has helped her gain more fans, when she first came out with it last summer, it lacked support of both label execs and radio personnel. As well as “Crying in the Club,” another single of hers peaked at the Top 50 and it drew comparisons to Sia. Those stumbles coupled with the growing tension between her and her former bandmates could have potentially tanked her entire album and resigned her to potentially never capture the magic she had with Fifth Harmony. To those who doubt her, which includes naysayers and or Harmonizers who don’t support her, her new solo album is triumphantly gaining traction and confidently says, “Fifth Harmony Who?”

The 11 track album is quickly becoming a hit as it rose to being the #1 album in 90+ countries and counting. This album is a distinct departure from her time with the girl group she was in, and no hard feelings to Fifth Harmony, even though they tried to bring her down quite literally after she announced her split from the group. Camila Cabello went through quite a few titles before she settled on simply naming it “Camila.” I commend Camilla for sticking to her guns and choosing to forge her own path. On this album there are no songs that sound like copies of songs already out in the market. Each and every one of the songs on the album are unique and they show the many different sides of Camila Cabello. She has truly come a long way since her time on x factor where Fifth Harmony got its start.

This album isn’t about having recognizable pop beats and catchy choruses to sing along to. This album utilizes lyrical instruments and emotional storytelling to entertain its listeners. It’s a work of art and I can’t stop listening to the whole album. I think it’s fitting the album starts off with “Never Be the Same,” an edgy song with drums and Camila on Guitar. It’s a new year and a new sound for her.  The next song is “All These Years,” and it’s a slower tempo song filled with raw emotion about a