Camila Cabello is kicking off the New Year strong with the release of her debut album Camila. It follows her exit from Fifth Harmony and a string of guest vocal performances with Shawn Mendes and Pitbull, among others. The Cuban Mexican singer from Miami, now 20 years old, gained fame on The X Factor and has long been viewed as the ‘star’ of girl group by industry insiders, ripe for a solo career. Writing about Cabello’s time in Fifth Harmony, a Billboard journalist noted it is “rather uncommon for someone to stand out in a collective as much as Cabello has over the past years.”
In Camila, Cabello shares herself with the world. Her vulnerability, liberation, and Latin heritage are all expressed through her soaring 3-octave lyrical soprano voice and youthful and girlish demeanor. The chart-topping track “Havana” has been impossible to ignore for months. The song’s unique blend of Latin music and hip-hop has been a major hit while racking up over 550 million Spotify streams! The song’s success has helped to launch Camila to international fame and has made her an industry leader in the fusion of Latin and hip-hop music. Her success has also opened the door for other Latin artists to break into the mainstream. The music video for “Havana” has over one billion views and counting.
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Originally, “Crying in the Club” was released as the album’s lead track. The single was a moderate hit, peaking at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s mid-tempo feel is incredibly catchy and relatable to many. Sia wrote the song, and her influence can be felt throughout. Camila embraces these characteristics while transforming them into her own. There is also a climax at the beginning of the last chorus that showcases Camila’s vocals and some impressive improvisations.
In the album opener, “Never Be The Same,” Cabello displays an impressive pitch. Her Latin vocal stylings complement the red-hot melody. Cabello compares love to drugs in the track, as so many writers before her have done. The lyrics draw from the universal experience of falling in love and the dark and addictive feelings that being in an intense relationship can bring. The track is an excellent introduction to the album, setting the tone for the rest of the songs.
Cabello slows things down in “Consequences.” It’s a heartfelt ballad that showcases her voice and Latin vocal stylings. The stripped-back production complements the lyrics, and her voice is delicate. A ballad filled with tears and regret, she sounds nearly broken. In a word, poignant.
Standout track “She Loves Control” is a Latin-infused dancefloor banger. Cabello has admitted in interviews she can be a bit of a control freak, and when she sings, “She loves control, she wants it her way, and there’s no way she’ll ever stay unless you give it up, you know she lives for the thrill,” it makes one wonder if this is hinting at some alternative carnality. Sultry and blissful, her vocals sound like she’s challenging someone to submit.
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Cabello is more talented than most in a music landscape that has been crowded with dance-pop divas for decades. She doesn’t have the pipes of, say, Mariah or Whitney (who does?), but her voice is youthful and girlish, and she uses her speaking inflections to enhance its appeal. Of course, she’s a fantastic dancer, having perfected the strip-club moves common to artists of this genre. But more than this, she’s garnered a reputation for being a nose to the grindstone worker, soaking in all the knowledge her producers and arrangers impart.
As a whole, the album is dynamic, intriguing, and well-balanced. It contains obligatory slow and sultry ballads about love and loss delivered with Latina flair. Then there are the Latin-infused songs with heavy beats and cleverly-crafted lyrics that make you want to dance.
Despite only being 20 years old, Cabello has already made an impressive debut as a solo artist with Camila.
