10. THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY by Taylor Swift

Unfortunately, this album really didn’t resonate with me like most of Swift’s work. THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT felt a little out of touch compared to her previous records. It almost didn’t make the cut here, but with thirty-one songs on the record, it’s hard not to acknowledge. With the exception of bonus or vault tracks on other records, this is the only album since her debut where I don’t at least sometimes listen to every song on the album. “But Daddy I Love Him” and “The Alchemy” are two of my least favourite songs released this year; I find them incredibly obnoxious and poorly written. I’m sorry!!! From the second half of the album, I don’t really listen to “Robin” or “thanK you aIMee,” but I more or less just find those ones to be boring and uneventful, rather than unlistenable. This album does house some of my all-time top Taylor Swift songs, however. TTPD includes an excellent blend of pop earworms, poetic and self-reflective masterpieces, and melancholy tunes with lots of room for deciphering and decoding lyrics. For lack of better words, I think Swift tried to make this album an ‘edgy’ and distraught aesthetic compared to her other works, and with that it feels inauthentic in many places. From the moment the tracklist was released for the first half of the album, it was clear that the song titles were rather out there, and quite frankly, a few of them are just unnecessarily attention-grabbing. Swift’s indie-pop era peaked with the Folkmore eras, which felt far from forced. If you haven’t listened to her latest yet, I’ll teach you about some hidden gems that you’ll want to know.

“Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine)” is one of my favourite tracks the songstress has ever written. As soon as I saw that this collaboration was incoming, I knew it would be a dream come true, and I’m so glad to have been proven correct. The pair deliver a magnetic performance, channelling themes of infidelity and vengeance that Swift explored with HAIM on 2020’s “no body, no crime,” mixed with some self-hatred and desire for escapism. The song is grand and cinematic, complete with electrifying drum moments that highlight the emotion behind it. “So Long, London,” also from the first half of the record, is a heartbreaking, beautifully composed ballad about a love lost. Swift really shows off her wide range here, as the soft melodic piece sees her in a more raw, hushed manner than many of her other works. Her attention to detail really shines through here, as many have pointed out that the vocals performed in the song’s intro are reminiscent of the Westminster chimes heard in the UK. Two other standouts from the initial record are “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,” an unbelievably underrated piece of pop perfection that will get stuck in your head after only one listen, and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” an extremely powerful track in which Swift navigates moving past the ending of a relationship and the ways in which her ex-lover harmed her mentally. The latter possesses a highly climactic bridge, bursting with raw emotion in a way that other parts of the record strive to match. “Fresh Out The Slammer” and “Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)” are two more that are continually growing on me with each listen. Despite sounding so vastly different from the sound Swift is known for, these two are lovely takes on a melancholy indie pop breakup song.

The second half of this record, The Anthology, is much more mellow and pensive than its predecessor. It came as a surprise 2am release after the initial album launch, and it contains songs with writing more reminiscent of some of Swift’s most beautifully put-together work - the aforementioned Folkmore sisters. “How Did It End?” serves as a sob worthy piano ballad showcasing what it feels like to have a relationship fall apart in the public eye, and having to respond to endless questions and gossip while mourning. “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” is a complex track that references both infidelity and drug abuse as the cause for the end of a relationship, and a feeling of hopelessness radiating from the narrator. It makes a direct callback to 2022’s “Maroon,” leaving fans to piece together timelines and evaluate lyrics to understand the depth of the lyrics. “Peter,” “The Prophecy,” “The Manuscript,” and “I Look in People’s Windows” are some of the most gorgeous heartbreak songs in Swift’s catalogue, while “So High School” is a happy-sounding outlier about a cheesy, youthful romance. “The Prophecy” has become a mantra of mine, constantly on repeat (and yes, I know what that says about me). “The Bolter” and “Cassandra” stand out to me as some of the record’s best, with the prior painting a vivid picture of a trickster woman treating love as a game, toying with boys who are known to toy with women, and the latter angrily referencing Swift’s challenges with extreme fame, a nasty fanbase, and re-obtaining the ownership of her music.

Swift once described her Eras Tour set for Tortured Poets as “female rage: the musical,” and I think she was spot on. “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?,” a venom-filled anthem referencing ways in which the industry and the general public villainizes Swift’s every move, serves as a major standout, not just on the record, but also throughout her entire career. The live performance of this song finds Swift placed on a pedestal, seemingly larger than life and controlling those around her. She lashes out and holds nothing back, and no one can blame her for being upset with much of what she’s experienced in her life. I wish this album connected with me on a higher level, but it is very far from my favourite piece of work from the singer/songwriter. It propelled the ending of her Eras Tour into the record-breaking global phenomenon it turned into. I think the songs that are excellent, work to shape the album into the success it has been, but a lot of rather lack-luster tunes sandwich them into their spots on the album. I admire Swift for constantly trying new sounds, and every day another TTPD song catches my ear in a different way and grows on me just a little bit more. I greatly look forward to hearing what she comes up with next!

9. Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa

I am truly devastated that this is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, due to the way I’ve seen my peers discuss this album, but I loved Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism! I don’t think it’s her best album, but I do think it’s great. She references this record as a product of self-discovery and growth, and I certainly think that’s something worth celebrating. While Future Nostalgia, the incredibly iconic record that birthed many of her biggest hits, takes on an edgy, dark pop sound inspired by popular music of the past, Radical Optimism is much more summery, happy, and uplifting. The two side by side feel like a nighttime album and a daytime album, reminiscent of the concept Miley Cyrus mastered last year with Endless Summer Vacation. What Dua Lipa knows how to do better than anything else is write an extremely memorable pop song, and she certainly didn’t disappoint on Radical Optimism, even if nothing became as catchy with the general public as in her last works.

Singles “Houdini,” “Training Season,” and “Illusion” serve as the record’s most popular offspring, and a perfect taste of what is to be found on the remainder of Radical Optimism. “Houdini” has the most fabulous, danceable hook, excelling above the majority of pop music I’ve heard released this year. It genuinely baffles me as to why this track didn’t receive the same treatment as “Levitating” and “New Rules.” “Illusion” is an ultra fun confidence booster, in which Lipa reminds everyone she’s the it girl, forever and always. She is a mighty woman, and she can recognize when someone is simply playing her; she’s not afraid to call them out on it either. The trippy, funkified beat instantly made this one a staple in pop radio.  I don’t love “Training Season” quite as much, but it follows a similar formula, and does so wonderfully. A casual female empowerment jam, where Lipa expresses frustration with men who don’t treat love seriously, meanwhile she’s giving it her all. She states “training season’s over”... and it’s now time for a romance that’s going to last a lifetime. Perhaps that’s why Radical Optimism wasn’t the smashing success that her previous works have been; it takes on a much more mature outlook to life. And perhaps that’s why I love it, because I’m at a similar place in my own life.

Many standouts exist on this record, very overlooked tracks that will go down as deep cuts, but that I think deserve their chance to shine. One of those is “Falling Forever,” an anthem in which Lipa’s vocal ability is shown off with a strong chorus belted from the top of her range. She sings about the honeymoon phase of a relationship, one she hopes never ends. She seems to have fallen quickly, but possesses great hope in this relationship. She questions whether her and her suitor are fit to withstand anything thrown their way. I believe these are some of the strongest vocals in her discography, and the very touching message of long-lasting love mimics themes explored by other Radical Optimism songs, such as “Whatcha Doing.” In this track, she questions why and what makes her current relationship feel different from ones she’s experienced in the past, blaming her lover for putting her in a haze of emotions and potentially ending her tendencies of running away from love. Having a lack of control is outside of Lipa’s comfort zone, but she doesn’t seem to mind. There’s a double entendre within the song, where she says “lost my 20/20 vision” - 2020 was the year her career took off to an extreme extent, when she became well-known for her pop/disco fusion sound, and she did state that she didn’t want to create that style of music forever. 

“These Walls” and “Maria” are another two top picks of mine, one detailing a breakup and one detailing more elements of a great romance. In “These Walls,” Lipa knows the end of her relationship is incoming, but she is struggling to be the one to put an end to it. She still has feelings for her partner, but it’s also obvious that it’s not going to work out. Once again using Lipa’s powerful belting vocal abilities, “These Walls” was the only non-single from the album that charted, and one listen will most certainly have you understanding why. “Maria” takes an abstract, mature approach to a stereotypical love song - Lipa acknowledges the role that her current partner’s ex played in his life, and how she shaped him into the man that he is with her. She references this man as the deepest love she’s ever had, and thanks Maria profusely for shaping his past romantic experiences into someone capable of life-changing love for Lipa. Both of these songs take on fabulous, tropical dance-pop beats that transport you to a warm beach in the summer sun. It’s quite impressive how this talented artist manages to capture such precise feelings in her music.

The only songs on this record that don’t stay on my super heavy rotation these days are “French Exit” and “Anything For Love.” They’re still great songs, but for me, they don’t possess quite the same individualism as the rest. “French Exit” has a killer chorus that can get stuck in my head for days, but it kind of sticks out far from the themes explored on the bulk of the album. In most of Radical Optimism, we see Dua Lipa in a place where love is no longer a game, but something to be taken seriously - however, in this track, she sings about leaving a relationship without saying goodbye, and the ways in which leaving no closure can absolve her from moral responsibility for a broken heart. Of course, it’s evident she’s trying to convince herself this is true, as she seems to feel guilt around the situation, but she feels it’s for the best that things end this way. Quite the contrast from how she seems to feel lately, but it’s a very fun song when in the mood to listen. “Anything For Love” is a short song that starts a slow ballad, and ends in a funky dance-pop chorus. It is an ode to how she used to love, and how her perspective of romance has changed. Beginning and ending with live, unscripted chatter, it is a casual listen meant to be heard as a raw show of emotion.

What helps make this album such a fun listen is a splendid choice of opening and closing tracks. “End Of An Era” launches Radical Optimism, the lyrics truly saying goodbye to an era of singlehood, and hello to an era of true love and genuine optimism. It serves as an introduction for the world we’re set to explore on the remainder of the record, with an unbelievably catchy hook. Lipa’s reenactment of her latest meet-cute will have you gushing and dancing all at once. Meanwhile, “Happy For You,” the record’s closer, describes a maturity around the aftermath of a relationship, where an ex-lover finds happiness with a new woman in a way that was never found with Lipa. Instead of being bitter or saddened like many may be, depending on the relationship’s circumstances, she describes a pure happiness about seeing someone she used to love finding their happy ending. She sings, “I must’ve loved you more than I ever knew,” as this feeling of having no negativity towards the situation is something brand new and unknown to her. It reminds me of Future Nostalgia’s “Boys Will Be Boys” album closer, a song I hold near and dear to my heart as Lipa sings about all the ways in which society is man-centered, but shouldn’t be. On both records, she saved her most vulnerable, relatable, in-the-feels song for last, and I think it’s such a beautiful way to close out an album - especially for someone like Dua Lipa, who makes every album its own distinct, unique era.

As a companion to the initial album, Lipa even released an extended version of the album, which lengthens each track with a new danceability, and sometimes even new lyrics or verses. Her dedication to making this album an authentic, enjoyable piece of work shines through in every word and melody she writes. She’s embarking on the Radical Optimism tour through 2025, where I am delighted to get a chance to see her live for the first time. Don’t go into this album expecting the same thing as Lipa’s last hit record. But honestly, that’s the best part of her artistry. Her self-titled debut has a radically different overarching sound and theme than Future Nostalgia. She has once again reinvented herself in an era of being a confident, strong, happy, and healthy woman, and I am all the way here for it. 

8. Bando Stone and The New World by Childish Gambino

I’ve been a fan of Donald Glover’s for a while. I think he’s a wonderful human being, and Community is one of my favourite shows of all time, much of which can be attributed to his excellent performance. Hip-hop has never been one of my most enjoyed genres, but I’ve grown more fond of it recently, Glover being one of my favourite artists within the scene. Songs like “Sober,” “Redbone,” and “3005” have occupied space in my rotation for years, with their irresistible genre-defying hooks making me fall in love with them. Bando Stone may very well be the first Childish Gambino record where I’ve loved every single song. I think this record is a brilliant showcase of everything Donald Glover is capable of. Many of his biggest hits have been rap based, but infused with elements of pop and R&B - something I feel he’s mastered throughout his career, and something that is featured heavily on this record. There are also plenty of intense moments that allude to his early sounds, and many collaborations with fellow musicians, especially those who contribute to Black musical culture. As a whole, it’s not an extremely cohesive piece of work, but honestly, that’s what makes it such a standout.

Bando Stone and The New World marks a significant installment in Glover’s discography for multiple reasons. The multi-talented star has been talking for years about how he wishes to retire the Childish Gambino alias and move forward with other projects. He has since confirmed that Bando Stone is to be the final Childish Gambino album. It also serves as a soundtrack to his upcoming directorial debut, a film by the same name as the record. While no release date has currently been published, a trailer emerged several months ago on Glover’s YouTube channel, setting a scene for a comedic and dystopian plot, starring Glover as Bando Stone. Seeing a piece of music come further to life with Glover’s visions for the songs will be a very rewarding experience, knowing how brilliant of a mind he has. In the meantime, while awaiting the feature film, there are seventeen tracks to indulge in and create one’s own interpretation before Glover’s exact intentions become public. To further capture interest, brief dialogue clips between Glover and other characters can be found at the beginning and/or end of select tracks, presumably following the way in which said songs are intertwined into the film. Needless to say, I can’t wait for the day that the bigger picture will be revealed.

The contents of this album can be loosely organized into different sub-genres that Glover has explored in order to propel his story. “H3@RT$ W3RE M3@NT T0 F7¥” and “Lithonia” offer a fast-paced introduction to the record, and one that acquaints listeners to the overall encompassing sound of the record. The prior is a heavy, stamina-induced mood builder, and the latter is the driving force of the album, producing the lyric that seems to be Glover’s mantra as of late: “nobody gives a fuck.” While the album’s intro is iconic in its own sense, the track highly experimental, featuring musical sounds never explored in Childish Gambino’s catalogue, “Lithonia” is where listeners really begin to realize they’ve stumbled upon a masterpiece. It is the record’s lead single, and seemingly a massive driving force for the overarching narrative. It breathes life into a core character from the film, and it personifies the city of Lithonia, Georgia (bordering Glover’s hometown), with the pop-rock jam drawing a picture of this land as a mother, a character in and of herself. As a separate entity as the highly anticipated movie, Glover released an unsettling music video for “Lithonia,” cut short by a horrific twist.

If you’re after a new R&B tune to fill your headphones, “Survive” and “In The Night” will become your go-tos. Chlöe of Chloe x Halle adds angelic backing vocals to “Survive,” a song that feels like the lyrics could’ve come off Glover’s Camp album. The production is astoundingly different from his early work, but the content within is similar - ramblings about fakeness in Hollywood, about growing up and learning, and trying to navigate a large and confusing world. “In The Night” features Jorja Smith and Amaarae, and it features some of Glover’s most impressive vocals to date, and they mesh flawlessly with his collaborators. It was released as the record’s second single, and is most definitely within my top five songs from the album. What presents itself lyrically as a typical song about love, lust, and yearning is given a cinematic edge to still feel like it’s coming from a movie soundtrack. “Steps Beach” and “Real Love” are two more standouts that fall under the chill, comfy, easy listening category of Bando Stone. Both express Glover’s content with where he is in life, having recently gotten married to his longtime partner. He has always been protective of his privacy, but seems to have really settled into prioritizing family over the music industry. 

Songs like “Cruisin’” and “Got To Be” are still on the soft side, but they pick up the tempo to something a bit closer to the rap sound the artist is best know for. “Cruisin’” is a real standout for its emotional climax which sees Glover screaming through a breakdown, whereas “Got To Be” is notable for starting with a pop sound, and quickly becoming something unrecognizable from that. It doesn’t get much more experimental than that, but somehow, the bizarre “Happy Survival” takes the cake for this title. The three and a half minute track features no real lyrics except the title repeated five times throughout, laid over a beachy, exotic guitar instrumental. Most similar to the signature Childish Gambino sound is “Talk My Shit” and “Yoshinoya,” both primarily rooted in hip-hop influence. Both are extremely fun listens, touching on the repeated themes of false facades enforced by Glover’s industry. It’s not one of my top picks, but “Running Around” is very unique, and was a real shocker for me. The pop-rock influence that Glover brings to life alongside Fousheé is reminiscent of the 2000’s bands I used to love; I honestly was convinced I’d put on a Blink-182 song on my first listen.  

Perhaps the three most notable songs on the album are “Dadvocate,” “Can You Feel Me,” and “A Place Where Love Goes.” It’s hard to narrow down so few favourites on a seventeen-song record, but I think these three are extremely outstanding. “Dadvocate” is an indie-pop infused ballad about fatherhood, in which Glover gets very candid with listeners about the impact parenting has had on his life. “Can You Feel Me” is an experimental track that actually features Glover’s oldest son, Legend. Once Glover realized his son has great talent and a desire to perform, he decided to give him a platform with this collaboration. It samples an educational Sesame Street alphabet song, playing out as the alphabet being sang as an infusion with the song’s five verses, each verse being one full performance of the alphabet alongside Glover’s own, completely unrelated lyrics. “A Place Where Love Goes” closes out the album with a cinematic arc and plenty of action-packed build-up. It summarizes the most discussed topics within the album, and helps close the chapter on the presumed plot to the film. One can infer the movie is going to be largely autobiographical, based on all the connections to previous Childish Gambino projects, as well as many lyrics relating to Glover’s own life. He is a very intelligent artist, and if the film does, in fact, illustrate his personal life from an exaggerated standpoint, it makes complete sense why he chose to still release this under the moniker, despite being attached to a new project. The album is precisely one hour long - I hope the film is longer, because I am very thirsty for more! I can’t wait to continue following Donald Glover into his future endeavours. I think he is a genius and a pioneer in his fields, and Bando Stone and The New World further cements why he is so deserving of such a title.

7. Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter was one artist who had a massive 2024. Ending out the year with the most streamed song on Spotify and Apple Music, her breakthrough has been one for the books. I was introduced to her about a week after emails i can’t send released, as everyone in my circles was buzzing about “because i liked a boy,” its music video, and the drama surrounding the whole situation. I promptly checked out the full album and enjoyed it, later going to see her live on the second part of her emails i can’t send tour. While I feel like her explosion onto the scene began a couple of years ago, the release of “Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and the rest of Short n’ Sweet sped it up to record proportions. Carpenter has made a name and an image for herself amongst the world’s main pop girls, and the title suits her beautifully.

I think most artists have one niche specialty that they excel at beyond anyone else in their field, and for Sabrina Carpenter, that one thing would be hyper-feminine, sexually charged, horny yearning tunes. “Juno” and “Bed Chem” are two splendid examples of this knack she has. “Juno” is a very cheeky track that refers to the 2007 cult classic film by the same name, starring Elliot Page and Michael Cera. It centers around Page’s character becoming pregnant as a teenager, which is why Carpenter’s “If you love me right, then who knows? I might let you make me Juno” lyric is so amusing. Carpenter is young and very open about her sexuality, but she’s never really spoken about a desire or lack thereof regarding having children. The line is truly just meant to be a silly and sexy reference to a piece of media that she was raised on, and I think we need more artists doing things like that! Also, “Juno” spawned a pretty iconic moment from this year, Carpenter’s nightly ‘Juno position’ on the Short n’ Sweet tour. One line of the song says “Wanna try out some freaky positions? Have you ever tried… this one?,” which would be followed by Carpenter mimicking a new sexual act on stage each night. Quite the discourse emerged online, including the iconic ‘I’m 17 and I’m AFRAID of Sabrina Carpenter’ quote from Twitter. And hey, I’m asexual and I can enjoy her gimmick, so I think maybe people on the internet simply need to lighten up! But, the positive reactions far outnumbered the negative ones. “Bed Chem” is the other tongue-in-cheek anthem about a meet-cute resulting in fantasies about a heated night together. Honestly, huge props to Sabrina Carpenter for ignoring backlash and continuing to write about what she wants, especially as a former Disney Channel girl. She has been quite successful at separating the Sabrina Carpenter we now know and love from the one who first gained notoriety.

The record takes a more up-tempo turn with the sexually charged “supernatural” as the sixth track. This song details a honeymoon phase of a relationship that feels different, more real, than in past relationships. Grande compares the feeling of intense desire to that of supernatural activity, taking over her in a way that leaves her with little control, but she doesn’t mind. She begs her partner for the gratification she yearns for, with subtle innuendos referencing the pair’s chemistry. After this track became a fan favourite, a special version featuring vocals from the one and only Troye Sivan was released, bringing new imagery into the picture. “true story” is next on the album, and it again calls out the ways in which media outlets and tabloids have treated Grande during recent years. It seems like it may also incorporate aspects of mistreatment she was met with from her former partner, things that the rest of the world would not have seen as they were weighing in their thoughts. The harmonies in this song are gorgeous, as Grande’s outstanding vocals layer with one another to create an angelic effect. She decides she’s no longer apologizing for a false narrative, and would rather be portrayed as the villain than accept responsibility for baseless gossip. Grande has stated that the following song, “the boy is mine,” was purposefully placed after “true story,” as it’s got a bit of a bad-girl, villain in the night vibe to it. The song takes inspiration from Brandy and Monica’s 90’s hit, and the trio would later go on to remix both tracks together. “the boy is mine” takes an upbeat, seductive approach as it sizes up her new lover. Despite facing ruthless homewrecker allegations, Grande does not back down from her newfound happiness, and instead, finds some joy in playing the persona that she’s been so publicly shaped into.

“Don’t Smile” is another of my favourite album tracks, closing off the record with a soft pop/R&B influenced ballad. It takes inspiration from sounds she tried out with one-off singles such as “Honeymoon Fades” in 2020. In “Don’t Smile,” Carpenter grieves the ending of a relationship and how quickly her ex has moved on. She yearns for them to be devastated just as she is, but they seem to already have a new girl in their arms. Carpenter goes out taking shots with her friends and writing her sassy music, seemingly happy, but she’s not. She yearns to lose her ex’s number and forget they existed, but she still feels attached and out of control. Some lyrics in this song parallel lyrics to the album’s opener, “Taste,” a confident and upbeat track where Carpenter taunts her ex’s new woman with the fact that she’ll always be lingering and remaining in the picture, a stark contrast to the reluctant acceptance of no longer being in the picture that is seen on “Don’t Smile.” Lines are a bit blurred on “Taste” - it is unclear at times as to whether Carpenter is referencing her ex’s infidelity, or whether her impression is just that strong that without being around anymore, her presence still cannot be erased. The accompanying music video is an epic display of misandry and girl power. Sabrina Carpenter stars alongside the fabulous Jenna Ortega, as the pair keep trying to gruesomely murder each other over their discontempt. In the end, the result of their feud is the murder of the man they’re fighting over, and the pair attend his funeral, heavy sapphic undertones present.

Carpenter and Ortega’s kiss in the “Taste” music video sparked a lot of discussion in online queer circles, followed by Carpenter making out with a female alien during her VMAs performance, and the “Slim Pickins” lyric, ‘since the Lord forgot my gay awakening.’ It’s uncertain exactly how the line is meant to be interpreted - some believe she’s saying she’s straight but wish she wasn’t, and others believe we may have another sapphic mega-pop star on our hands, which would just be fabulous representation. That song and “Dumb & Poetic” are the only two from the record that I don’t heavily repeat; they’re on the softer side of Carpenter’s range, and I tend to gravitate more towards her more upbeat sound. “Sharpest Tool” and “Coincidence” are perfect blends of her pop and acoustic ranges, blending the two seamlessly with the help of the wonderfully talented Jack Antonoff’s production (collab of the year, if I’m honest). “Sharpest Tool” follows the same formula that made “Please Please Please” such a hit - making fun of men’s embarrassing tendencies to a healthy enough extent that almost every woman can relate. This is a very fun song to listen to, but it tackles Carpenter’s frustration with taking a relationship seriously, and not having that same effort retaliated. “Coincidence” is a similar situation, where Carpenter is watching the downfall of her relationship as it happens, as her partner’s ex tries to creep their way back into his life, and she knows he’s falling back into it too. It takes influence from folk-country, with a sliver of twang while still upholding pop status.

Short n’ Sweet truly has a bit of everything. If you want to dance, there’s “Good Graces” and “Espresso.” If you need a cry, there’s “Lie To Girls,” with the most beautifully executed bridge in Carpenter’s discography, and the aforementioned “Don’t Smile.” Carpenter is taking over the world with her standout style, and if all you’ve heard are the hits, then it’s time to indulge yourself in a record that demands to be listened to. I thought it would be difficult for Sabrina Carpenter to hook me in even further than she did with her previous album, but with ease, she proved me incorrect.

6. BRAT / Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat by Charli xcx

I have been a Charli xcx fan for so many years (that’s right, I remember when ‘xcx’ was capitalized), and it’s been so refreshing to see her finally getting her flowers. BRAT isn’t my favourite style of music I’ve seen this wondrously experimental artist create, but it’s a very powerful statement from someone who broke free of having limited creative ability over her own art, and wanted to create a new image for herself. She deserves the mainstream success she’s been receiving so much, and to see BRAT becoming a cultural phenomenon throughout the year has made me proud to have been calling myself a Charli xcx fan since 2017. I’m grateful I got a chance to see her open for Halsey and Taylor Swift before she went on to headline arenas herself.

Right from the opening notes of  “360,” it is made apparent that this album is something you’ll want to get up and dance to. Charli’s confidence shines through the lyrics and the iconic music video. But, while the album has a lot of ‘I’m that bitch’ moments, it also has a lot of emotional moments where Charli talks about her physical and mental insecurities, missing her friend who passed away, and the complexity of a serious relationship. “So I” and “I might say something stupid” are fairly stripped-down and mellow, but other tracks like “Rewind” are quite upbeat while upholding depressing lyrics. It was quite the bold choice to promote this album as a full-on ‘party girl’ vibe while still including such vulnerable songs, and I applaud her for so unapologetically putting herself out there.

A lot of my standouts on this album were the same as everyone else’s. “Everything is romantic” easily became my number one - there’s something so magical about that bridge and breakdown that just scratches an itch in my brain every time I hear it. The instrumentals in the track set the tone marvelously, and it has a very outlying sound from much of the record. I also think “Sympathy is a knife” is brilliant, and incredibly brave of her to release. It is beyond easy to infer who the song is about, and it is someone with a massive cult-like fanbase who will try to take down anyone who dares speak badly about their favourite artist. But Charli doesn’t say anything hateful in the song. She speaks about a lingering and unwanted feeling of jealousy, something that many women feel about fellow women in their lifetime. Our society is built on constantly pitting people against each other, especially women, and it can be very detrimental to self-growth and love. Charli vocalizes very raw truths about the industry and her place in it while recounting personal experiences and feelings that most would simply keep to themselves.

“Apple” is an extremely fun and danceable tune that describes familial relations, both in ways Charli sees herself in her parents, and ways in which she butts heads with them. Another one with existential lyricism, but you wouldn’t recognize it as such without reading into the meaning. This one went viral on TikTok, with a choreographed dance being attributed to the tune. It was embraced by both fans and Charli herself, and she went on to highlight audience members at her concerts who were performing the dance as she sang the song live, some nights even focusing on her fiancé’s performance, or putting celebrities in the crowd on the spot to be featured on the big screen while they tried to recall the steps. “Mean girls” is another personal favourite, as its tune is simply irresistible. It’s one of those tracks that you put on in your headphones and instantly feel ten times more confident, a power-walk anthem for women everywhere. Though the song references a very specific type of woman, one who is often rather toxic and not the best to be around, the reality is that most women have been called mean, nasty, or a bitch for simply standing up for themselves. The chorus talks about breaking your boyfriend’s heart and tearing his shit apart, something I stand by (I think more men in today’s society deserve to be humbled). While mean isn’t something I would ever strive to be, I also refuse to let myself be pushed around or spoken down to, and if that means making a bold statement, then so be it. Charli seems to admire the women she sings about in “Mean girls” as well, and while the aesthetic she describes is not totally healthy, there are elements to being that type of woman which are quite worth embracing.

The thing that really made this record stand out as one of the best of 2024, in my opinion, was the remix album - Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat. Not only is the title just so funny and such a commitment to the bit, but some of the reworked versions of the songs are as good as, or even better than the originals. Charli caught some flack from folks who weren’t familiar with her work for putting out an additional version of her record in the midst of her peak, but the reality is, she’s been remixing her own songs for eons. She constantly works with other artists to turn something new into something newer, and includes elements of her mixtapes in her LPs. For example, “Track 10” from Pop 2 turned into “Blame It On Your Love” with Lizzo in 2019. Each BRAT song was turned into something completely new, redone with another artist in Charli’s circles. “Girl, so confusing” featuring Lorde and “Guess” featuring Billie Eilish were two of the most iconic pop moments of 2024. “Girl, so confusing,” already one of my favourites from the original record, becomes a historic collab when the artist who inspired the song joins it to sing about the complexities of womanhood. And “Guess” goes from a sexy, danceable anthem to a sexy, danceable anthem that’s also unapologetically sapphic.

Alongside these tunes, “Sympathy is a knife” featuring Ariana Grande was the other breakthrough hit from the second release. While the original version of the song speaks to comparisons and insecurities mostly in one’s own mind, this version speaks more to the ways in which the media mistreats women and pits them against each other, constantly tearing down their looks, their size, their sound, and anything else they can find to critique. Other collaborators on the BRAT remix album include Troye Sivan, The 1975, Tinashe, Bon Iver, and Kesha. “Everything is romantic” featuring Caroline Polachek turns my favourite song on the album into a gorgeous ballad with imagery that makes everyday life feel beautiful. While I still prefer the original, this is also my favourite song from the remix album. “Everything is romantic” truly just is that girl. “So I” featuring Charli’s frequent collaborator A. G. Cook provides a more upbeat, hopeful ode to her late friend SOPHIE. The original version of the track is pensive and sad about her passing, but this version references the good times the pair had together, and how Charli will hold those memories with her forever. “Mean girls” featuring Julian Casablancas, lead vocalist of The Strokes, is the most bizarre collaboration on the record, and also one of the catchiest. It is such an odd combination, and a bold, feminine song takes a new form as a rant about Casablancas’ divorce and hardships, intertwined with instrumentals that can easily be identified as Charli’s niche specialty. It’s hard to believe these things work well together, but they really do.

Ending off the album and the era is the highly anticipated Kesha collaboration on “Spring breakers.” The 2020’s party girl comes together with the 2000’s party girl who is currently in the process of reclaiming said status, and they make magic in the studio. The remix of this deluxe track is similar to the original, but brings new verses and supreme confidence put forth by Kesha. An iconic statement to wrap up an iconic piece of music. Both artists have recently become free of contracts they’ve previously been reluctantly stuck in, and now it’s their time to shine. Charli xcx’s ‘comeback’ album has seen more commercial success than anyone ever could’ve guessed. BRAT will go down as one of the most discussed album eras of the year. The aesthetics are spot-on, and Charli’s sound is more well-rounded than it has ever been. With all eyes on her, the ball is in her court regarding the next move she makes. I’m certain this is just the beginning of her peak, and that more remarkable sounds will be seen from the versatile artist before too long.

5. Clancy by Twenty One Pilots

When I mentioned earlier that most years, there’s one record occupying the top of my list that surprises me - in 2024, this is the one. After Scaled & Icy, I truly believed Twenty One Pilots were heading in a direction that I was no longer able to fully connect with. I wasn’t in a rush to listen to the album, but of course when I did a couple days later, I felt so left out of the discussion loops, and so shocked at how much I loved nearly every track! Clancy takes heavy influence from the band’s 2018 record Trench, which I fell head over heels in love with when it came out, so it’s no wonder their latest clicked with me the way it did. Much like the band’s other works, Clancy tackles themes of battling and overcoming mental struggles. It’s super reminiscent of the band’s earlier days, while singing from a very newfound mature, grown perspective.

The album opens with its debut single, “Overcompensate.” This is a complex track that takes place within the world built by the band during the Blurryface and Trench album cycles. “Overcompensate” takes on a very rock-influenced sound, instantly making listeners realize that the sound of Clancy will be different from that of their last record, which many fans didn’t completely love. “Overcompensate” isn’t a personal top pick from Clancy, but I think it was a wonderful choice of lead single to really re-introduce people to the themes explored. This track leads into “Next Semester,” an almost manic track that references excruciating anxiety, suicidal feelings, and a desire to have a do-over, a fresh start. Using the metaphor of the school system, the standards it instills on those enrolled, and how debilitating that can be for some, the protagonist seems to be struggling with trying to conform to these standards, causing a severe panic attack when the breaking point is reached. The track is relatively heavy and fast-paced, until the refrain slows it down and turns it more pensive, as if coming down from the panic attack and regaining normalcy.

The third track, “Backslide,” directly references a lingering fear about the longevity of the band’s career, especially after their last record did not perform as well as they had hoped. The titular lyric goes, ‘I don’t want to backslide to where I’ve started from,’ which contains multitudes of interpretations. Lead singer Tyler Joseph is anxious that their devoted fanbase may not stick around as closely after so long. He also speaks to his own mental health issues, and how he has worked hard to overcome many of them, and a fear that life’s circumstances may cause him to fall back into those feelings. The chorus of this song is very screamable and therapeutic, and it incorporates the same hip-hop influences that made the band stand out as something different within the rock scene in the first place. “Midwest Indigo,” a personal favourite, follows next. This incredibly catchy track once again deals with anxiety, seasonal depression, and seemingly serves as an ode to the love/hate relationship many have with their hometown. “Routines in the Night” and “Vignette” complete a splendid three-track run of adrenaline boosting songs that feel uplifting to listen to despite the rather saddening lyrics. The prior speaks to the common concept of ‘never trust how you feel about your life after 9pm,’ as the evening tends to be when many struggling folks feel the weight of their life the most. Joseph is awake at night pondering his worth, unable to sleep despite wanting to. Meanwhile, the latter references addiction and a feeling of looking back at one’s life and hardly recognizing it. To me, the imagery of being “swallowed by the vignette” produces a strong image of a desire to escape the jaws of life, but feeling trapped and unable to do so. This song is unbelievably powerful, possessing beautiful lyrics and beautiful instrumentation. I definitely think it’s one of the strongest on the album.

The next track run includes some of the songs that stick out to me less on the record, but I still think most of them are great. “The Craving (Jenna’s Version)” is one of many songs Joseph has written about his wife, and the great love he holds for her. Much like the rest of their discography, this song is laced with anxious undertones, as Joseph ponders if he is giving the love of his life enough to make her happy. It’s a sweet, mellow song, but not one of my favourites. “Lavish” pokes fun at celebrity culture and overconsumption. It references traditional ways in which the wealthy spend their money on name brands and fancy things to maintain their status, and how it’s truly unnecessary. “Navigating” is a really good one, once again about being trapped in one’s own mind and trying to make sense of it all. The riff and the bridge to this track really pack a punch, and that last chorus right after the bridge has so much beautiful, raw emotion. “Snap Back” serves as the only song on the album I don’t really listen to; it takes a much more mellow approach than most of the record’s other tracks, and it just doesn’t stand out to me. It follows the same general plot as “Vignette,” with references to addiction and relapse.

“Oldies Station,” however, is one of my favourite songs by the band, and one of the defining moments on Clancy. A fear or discomfort to do with growing up and aging is something that a lot of people experience, even when they’re still very young. “Oldies Station” is a mature outlook from someone in his mid-30’s who is living in a constantly changing world. Tyler Joseph has also stated that this song is dedicated to the fans and his appreciation for them, alongside their appreciation for his art. The simple lyric “push on through” has become a fan favourite due to all the interpretations it can hold, but ultimately standing as a motivator to not allow depression or other issues to get you down. I think Joseph’s singing abilities really shine on this track as well. The production is crisp and clear, and the diction comes through so much softer and focused, compared to some of the band’s heavier tracks. “At the Risk of Feeling Dumb” speaks to how important it is to check in on those you love, especially if they’re known to struggle with their mental health. Struggling folks may find it difficult to reach out or accept help, but as a friend, it is crucial to remain by their side. While the chorus of this song is from the perspective of the friend denying the need for help, the rest of the lyrics are from Joseph’s perspective as he insists how important it is. Finally, “Paladin Strait” closes the record as the longest song in the band’s discography. This song seems to take us back into the fictional realm created in Joseph’s mind, and it illustrates the connection between this record, Blurryface, and Trench, with plenty of lyrical callbacks. Joseph’s feelings of isolation coincide with the illustration of a character fighting for his survival in a mystic setting of islands, banditos, and raging seas. Ultimately, it concludes in a rather ominous manner, perhaps leaving room for a continuation of the story.

Though I completely understand Twenty One Pilots’ desire to create a lighthearted, carefree record in the midst of Covid-19 and the uncertainty it carried, I must say I am happy that they’ve returned to their roots. “Shy Away” and “Redecorate” from Scaled & Icy still loop on my playlists, but Clancy really reminded me of what made me fall in love with the band way back in 2015. I wish I’d gotten a chance to see them live during this album cycle, but my Trench show was an unforgettable experience, and I’ll definitely be making an effort to go to one of their concerts whenever they next decide to tour. Twenty One Pilots may never again see the commercial success they did with Blurryface, but I think any present or former fans of the band need to listen to Clancy! The songs have amazing messages behind them, and the lyrics and themes are very intricately designed to evoke emotion in the listener. It is evident the band is proud of this record, as they deserve to be.

4. eternal sunshine by Ariana Grande

I’ve been a casual Ariana Grande fan for several years, since My Everything came out. I’ve enjoyed the larger part of every album she’s put out, but something about eternal sunshine feels different from her other works. Records like sweetener and thank u, next have incorporated sounds from multitudes of genres and emotions, but eternal sunshine feels like it has a cohesive equalizer, a common denominator that really causes the songs, and hence the album as a full, to excel beyond her previous works. The craziest thing about this album era is that when it began, I truly believed it would be far from my favourite. “yes, and?” was a very interesting choice for a lead single, one that I still can’t wrap my head all the way around, but I definitely understand it more now than I once did. It’s a modern club beat, something you’d get up and dance to at the gay bar, and it comments on Grande’s own experiences being in the public eye, and how she learned to love herself above caring what others think of her. I remember pressing play for the first time and being very taken aback by the intro that incorporates a house music sound that I’ve never once heard from this songstress. The song didn’t really click for me until a little while later, when I went through a bad breakup from a bad relationship that really fundamentally changed who I am as a person. The next night, I went out to celebrate my singlehood at an event in Toronto oriented towards women in the music industry, and I had the song looping in my head all night. It was exactly how I felt. Now, I mostly get why she chose it to represent eternal sunshine, even if it is vastly different from the remainder of the record’s sound.

There are plenty of standouts within this 13-track record, and they demand to be listened to in order, as the record tells a story of the last few years of Grande’s life. After a brief intro track, listeners are met with “bye,” an upbeat, empowering anthem in which Grande illustrates the process of leaving her relationship with her husband at the time. She acknowledges how hard the pair tried to make things work, but ultimately, Grande was sacrificing her own mental health for the pair’s continuity. After falling into submission and allowing the space around her to hold negative energy, she has become assertive in her own worth and desires with the story portrayed in “bye.” She recognizes the bittersweet nature of a relationship she thought would last falling apart instead, but is hopeful for her future. “don’t wanna break up again” delves further into the dynamic between her and her ex, as her struggles seem to have been dismissed over the duration of their partnership. Grande sings about constantly having to take care of herself, while her ex wouldn’t try to help her or himself. It was ultimately a dead-end, in which she had to prioritize her own health. The most shocking part of the song is her referral to her marriage as a ‘situationship,’ and implying that the couple have broken up before. It seems things were never as perfect as she let on, but she’s no longer afraid of holding back her feelings. After a brief interlude, we are met with the titular track, “eternal sunshine.” Here, we start to see Grande fully letting loose of her insecurity and bidding farewell to her previous life. She references the new boy she’s found who is on her side, and while she admits regrets for showing every part of herself to her ex, she is grateful for their time together and the things she has learned about herself through it all.

Next are the album’s two big singles, the aforementioned “yes, and?,” and “we can’t be friends (wait for your love),” a recent entry into Spotify’s billions club. “we can’t be friends” is a beautiful ballad about unrequited love and regaining stability in relationships. The music video is a powerful illustration of the words Grande sings, the plot heavily inspired by the film that helped the album come to be - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Both the visuals and the lyrics are heartbreaking and emotional, telling a tale of learning how to be comfortable and happy on one’s own. As the album winds down, we are met with another slow-paced heartbreak song, “i wish i hated you.” Despite recalling negative aspects of her past relationship earlier in the album, Grande makes the vulnerable admission that she still wishes her ex well, even if hatred would make her life easier. Clearly still holding pain in her heart, she wishes her ex was worse to her, and gave her more of a reason to stop reflecting positively on their relationship. Soft piano brings to life what is possibly the most tell-all track on the album, one where Grande’s innermost feelings are fully exposed.

Finally, “imperfect for you” and “ordinary things” end off the record in a mellow manner as she moves forward with happiness and a new love. They’re honestly my two least favourites on the record, but they serve a great purpose, and beautifully close the door on the eternal sunshine era. “imperfect for you” is a love song in which she acknowledges that both her and her new partner have flaws, but that they bring out the best in each other. Grande has been extremely open about her mental health struggles in the past, bringing them up again in the chorus, but stating that this love she’s found makes her feel secure, and in turn, she is struggling less. “ordinary things” is dedicated to her future with her partner, and the way that no matter how they choose to spend their time, where they choose to travel, how they choose to spend their money, the biggest or the smallest act will still be something extraordinary so long as it includes the couple. It’s very sweet, and it ends off with a spoken sentiment from the singer’s grandmother discussing her wisdom surrounding the great spectacle of true love. It’s evident that Grande is in a healthy place as of 2024, feeling better than she has in a long time. Out of that happiness, thirteen great tracks were born. eternal sunshine seems different from anything she has yet to release, and between its excellent chart performance and Grande’s dream role in Wicked coming to fruition, she is back on top of the world, with much reluctance coming from those who attempted to villainize and destroy her. May 2025 continue to be a year of growth and delight for Ariana Grande, and may we continue to hear more music in this style and confidence from the songstress’ next albums.

3. Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves

I just adore Kacey Musgraves’ work, and I think she excels at every sound she tries. I hear it’s an unpopular opinion, but star-crossed is my personal favourite project she’s done. I fell head over heels for the country/pop blend, pieced together with a solid concept and story, and a film to visually accompany the music. Deeper Well utilized some of those pop elements while returning to her country roots, the formula causing it to quickly become another favourite of mine. I think her voice and her songs are just pure magic, and that she’s truly not capable of creating a bad song. Deeper Well takes on an earthy, forest-y sound that really allows that message to excel. As a matter of fact, it seems ironic that Musgraves quit smoking weed and went on to release this album, when Deeper Well arguably has the most witchy, stoner vibe out of her whole discography. It’s a lovely, immersive record that heavily soundtracked my 2024.

Musgraves’ latest album era was launched in early 2024 with the release of “Deeper Well,” the album’s title track. It’s a beautiful, soft ballad dedicated to her personal growth, and digging deep about why she left behind habits she was once well-known for, such as her cannabis use. The track sets the tone very efficiently for the style of music to be found on the complete record, as does the music video, which was filmed in the stunning nature of Iceland. It is the most streamed track from the album, and a personal top pick for me and many of the singer’s fans, representing the immense growth life tends to throw people’s way. “Too Good to be True” followed as the next single, released shortly before the complete album launch. This one speaks to all the feelings involved in a new, blooming relationship, and Musgraves’ hope that it will last. It’s raw and truthful, and while she sounds hopeful about the health of the relationship, she worries the end result could be her regret for opening up so much. Overall, she seems excited to be falling in love, and that’s the consensus gathered from many of Deeper Well’s songs. The accompanying music video is a touching tribute to the singer’s struggles and hopes when it comes to romance. After she’s been burned in love a few times, she yearns for something real, and as a fan, all I can do is hope she has found her happiness!

Accompanying visuals were also released for the singles “Cardinal” and “The Architect.” Musgraves’ knack for stimulating all the senses when it comes to her art has been proven time and time again. star-crossed was released alongside a film that illustrates the singer’s innermost feelings regarding her traumatizing and publicized divorce. It offers a glimpse into the inspiration and true meaning behind each song on the album. Though she didn’t create quite as much visual content for Deeper Well, each music video for this album is incredibly impressive, and does a beautiful job at bringing the tracks to life in the best way possible. “Cardinal” - both the song and the music video - entertains the idea of paranormal activity, of a life after death and how the universe’s great signals and signs line up to reach someone on Earth. Musgraves questions whether frequent sightings of a cardinal may be true to the superstition that this bird carries a message from people who have passed on. The official video illustrates her speculation with hauntingly fun camera effects, and a scene towards the end where the singer is levitated, a visual she mimicked in her live performances of the song. “The Architect” is another fully nature-immersed video, which makes perfect sense for the questions she poses in the song. While pondering the ways of the galaxy, whether someone planned for every element of nature to work together, or whether it occurred as happenstance, she is seen gleefully bathing in a pond of mud, riding a horse through open fields, and singing in a desertlike area. She looks radiantly gorgeous as she performs one of the most lovely tracks in her discography, and invokes a thought-provoking, but at-peace feeling within the viewer.

Though there’s no companion music video, there are a couple other outstanding songs that feel like a full immersion in the earthy atmosphere. “Jade Green” speaks to one’s own inner spirituality, a reliance on natural healing powers found within crystals and minerals possessing properties to aid the soul. Musgraves has found comfort in keeping jade with her throughout the day, as it eases her anxiety and helps her feel more connected to herself. It’s a simple song, an ode to self-love and prioritizing that above anything else. Meanwhile, “Heart of the Woods” also possesses a soft, simple melody, but it is about living beings and communities that we as humans are unable to see. As she sings in “The Architect,” every single creature, even the littlest bug, has a place and a purpose in nature. She revels in this concept as she imagines a world under the surface of the Earth, the space occupied by all those tiny beings that some may consider useless. She recognizes her place as a person in the preservation of natural economies, and sheds light on the beauty behind the concept of so many creatures co-existing, getting what they need.

Musgraves has stated time and time again that Deeper Well is an album about healing, and this is proven true on songs like “Dinner with Friends,” “Heaven Is,” and “Nothing to be Scared Of.” It’s unclear whether she is currently in a happy relationship or whether she’s simply reflecting on the feeling of being in one, and honestly, good for her for maintaining that privacy given the dangerous trends of celebritization in the 21st century. It’s hard to believe that she hasn’t found pure, real happiness with someone when listening to “Heaven Is,” my personal favourite from the album. A soft melody that recalls a lovely day out with her lover, it seems to capture a glorious feeling of true love that many yearn to obtain in their lifetime. What makes it so sweet is the fact that she seems more than content in her partner’s company completing mundane tasks. Though extravagance is nice, it’s not necessary if you’ve found the right person (a concept that is explored more from the alternate point of view in the track “Lonely Millionaire!”). “Nothing to be Scared Of,” the record’s closer, also treads the topic of an honest, authentic romance, and what it really means to fully show every side of yourself to the other person in the relationship. She comforts her love, letting them know that they are her one and only, and she plans to stand by them through it all. It wraps up the album in a state of peace, an achievement she also succeeds at on side A of her album, with “Dinner with Friends.” One of the calmest, peaceful numbers on the album lies right in the middle, before you’d flip over the record. “Dinner with Friends” describes a state of pure contentment, an ability to romanticize even the smallest things in life. Such an underrated, gorgeous tune about loving the environment you’ve created for yourself, and the people that exist within it. Being able to completely romanticize even the most mundane of days is a state I strive to accomplish, especially after hearing it narrated so nicely. 

As I wrap up, I’d be remiss not to mention “Anime Eyes” and “Sway,” two other standouts that I haven’t yet mentioned. On first listen, “Anime Eyes” took the title of my favourite track by a landslide, and it still sits near the top of that list. Once again capturing a feeling of love, it builds up to an unforgettable bridge where Musgraves’ heart nearly bursts from the love she’s holding in it. The line ‘Sailor Moon’s got nothing on me’ is both adorable and hilarious, and it ends the explosive segment of the song as it fades into something mellow once more before fading out softly. If that track isn’t magical enough, “Sway” sure is, with incredible vocal delivery and overlapping melodies. The lyrics to this one aren’t so much the standout, as is the feeling that has been bottled up and unleashed through the song’s three minutes and eleven seconds. The lyrics still do serve as a lovely promise to herself to not allow inconveniences to break her, but rather sway her in a new direction. But something about that outro is one of the most heavenly moments in music this year.

I’ve grown quite impartial to the standard edition of Deeper Well, but there was later a deluxe edition released, holding seven new songs. The vinyl edition is single-sided, with the B side holding twenty minutes of calm woodland noises. “Flower Child” and “Superbloom” are probably two of my favourite deluxe tracks, and if you can’t tell from the earthy titles, they most certainly exist within the same realm explored in the original release. “Arm’s Length” would have to be my number one new track, however - its lyrics speak directly to my own experiences (though I admire the grace at which she handles it; I could never do it without spite).  I always recommend Kacey Musgraves to my friends, and some are hesitant because they don’t care for country music. Although her defining genre is widely classified as country, her last three albums have marked her as a very outstanding, individualistic artist. She has created this blended genre, taking influence from country, pop, and folk, and she has designed a sound exclusive to her records. Deeper Well perfects this formula, and serves as some of the best work of her career thus far.

2. The Great Impersonator by Halsey

Halsey is constantly proving she can excel at every single project she takes on. Some have called her a musical chameleon - able to constantly change and adapt her style, while still sounding amazingly genuine. They’ve released five records, each one sounding unbelievably different than its predecessor. I consider them to be one of the best, most underrated cohesive album-writers in the industry. Most of her biggest hits have emerged from one-off collaborations with other artists, but her abilities span so much farther than that. The Great Impersonator is an ambitious passion project created by someone experiencing hardships leading them to believe this would be their final album, and that makes the music within this record infinitely more admirable than a lot of other recent releases. Halsey absolutely killed it with the audience immersion within the concept she planned the record around. The marketing for the album prior to its release was phenomenally well thought-out, and it showcased just how talented this once-in-a-lifetime artist really is.

For The Great Impersonator, Halsey took inspiration from many of the greats that came before her. Each track coincides with a certain artist and time period of music. The song is heavily influenced by those sounds of the past, while still being orchestrated to hold onto that Halsey feel. While the talent that most people know Halsey from is her music, they are also extremely talented when it comes to makeup design and art. Their own brand, about-face, has been popular since its launch, boasting all vegan products, and occasionally releasing sets inspired by Halsey’s own music. For each of the 18 final days leading up to the album’s release, Halsey would reveal a soundbite from one of her new songs, alongside an impersonation of the artist who inspired said track. Each time, they would choose an iconic, well-known photo of the artist, design their own makeup to match the artist’s signature look, and be positioned and styled in the exact manner of the original photo. The results were stunning, with some of the impersonations like Evanescence and PJ Harvey looking nearly identical. Other artists she took influence from included Britney Spears, Dolly Parton, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, and Bruce Springsteen. Perhaps the most adored reveal for fans far and wide was Halsey’s own impersonation of herself during her Badlands era for the track “Hurt Feelings,” which utilizes sounds and themes explored within her ever so iconic debut record (and, as a longtime fan, is shockingly one of my lowest standouts on the complete album). 

We get off to an electrifying start with “Only Living Girl in LA” - the only track on the album that is not directly musically inspired by another recording artist. There are still stylistic incorporations of the 70’s-00’s artists Halsey loves, but overall, this song is her own sound entirely. She obtained her inspiration for this track from the ever so iconic Marilyn Monroe, a woman who has become a cultural icon, and has been impersonated time and time again over the years. This six minute long track sees Halsey comparing their own fame, their health complications, their loneliness, to that of such an intensely watched and scrutinized woman. Monroe passed away via overdose, a result of being unable to handle the pressure of such widespread fame. Halsey seems to share a similar sentiment; despite adoring the work she gets to create, she hates the aspect of everyone always having opinions on her every move. She describes ‘feeling everything that everyone alive feels every day,’ clearly in emotional distress and struggling with their sense of self. She has vocalized her mental health struggles for the duration of her career, but the implications of this track run deep and meaningful. It’s a call back for all of the longtime fans, as it references aspects of their personal journey that we’ve all been by their side for. Moments like a sampling of the New York subways announcing the Halsey Street stop - one of Halsey’s inspirations for her performing name, as she frequented the subway stop as a teen - bring tears of joy to those of us who have watched her grow and flourish since day one. And of course, as the drums and chaos pick up for a grand outro, we hear her baby boy shouting ‘Let’s go!,’ kicking off the new era with her favourite person. 

A whopping six tracks from the album were released as singles, five prior to the album, and one being sent to radio at the same time as the big release. That one would be “Panic Attack,” a beautiful ballad inspired by the sound of Fleetwood Mac, in which the intro to the band’s famous song “Dreams” is sampled. The 90’s pop rock-fueled “Ego” quickly became a fan favourite, detailing Halsey’s personal and career struggles over the years. Despite being upbeat in nature, it’s quite a devastating song. “Lucky” falls into this category of happy-but-sad as well, interpolating Britney Spears’ 2000 track by the same name. The original song being an ode to life as a young woman in the throes of Hollywood, Halsey’s version discusses similar topics of tabloids and fame, but all the while navigating chronic illness. Both “Lucky” and “Ego” serve as reminders that the version of themselves which celebrities present to the world are very often just a facade. “The End” is a soft acoustic track dedicated to the fans, which was released months prior to the album announcement and detailed the reasons why Halsey has become distant from their fanbase. It’s absolutely gorgeous, and serves as fans’ first real explanation as to everything they’ve been going through health-wise. However, the most iconic of all The Great Impersonator singles are “Lonely is the Muse” and “I Never Loved You.” “Lonely is the Muse” is a remarkable standout in her discography, channelling her inner Evanescence with a promise to haunt those who hurt her. She sings about her accomplishments, a career worth being proud of, but how at the end of the day, she’s alone and feels worthless, redesigning herself to fit everyone’s needs. It’s an extremely powerful rock jam, incorporating sounds the artist tried out in their last record, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, but it utilizes 2000’s-style production to perfectly encapsulate that feeling of anger she screams about. “I Never Loved You” is far more mellow, looking back on the unhealthy nature of her last relationship. Despite the song’s title, and despite her partner’s lack of empathy, she reflects on the extent of which she still loved him through it all. She paints a picture of herself on the brink of death, knowing that he just doesn’t care for her the way she does for him. The lyrics are filled with venom as Halsey puts the man in his place, imagining a scenario in which she passes away and all her possessions are left to him, but how he still will not feel sorry. Unfortunately, this track was also relatable to me this year. 

The three biggest standouts, in my opinion, are “Dog Years,” “Arsonist,” and “Life of the Spider (Draft).” With someone as multi-talented as Halsey, I find myself striving to hear yet another new sound from her when she decides to explore such avenues. Not one single album they have released is all that comparable to another one, even after five full-length releases under her belt. The Great Impersonator is different, however, in the sense that the album as a whole doesn’t encompass a specific inspiration, but rather each track could stand alone as a separate piece of work. These three tracks I’ve selected are the most unique outliers on the album, as well as some career highlights of Halsey’s, portraying even more sounds she is capable of excelling at. “Dog Years” has been my most played by far, and has also been named one of Halsey’s personal favourites. A grunge, pop-rock track that is built up by ominous, mood-setting guitar effects is hard not to fall head over heels for, especially when someone with such an angelic voice is singing it. “Dog Years” takes a somber approach as it compares a helpless, ill Halsey to the likes of an injured animal longing to be put out of its misery. They reminisce upon their dog that passed away in 2022, yearning to be taken as well. Many have pointed out some sexual undertones in the chorus, toying with Halsey’s perception of what she values most out of a life that she feels has little value remaining. The bridge is a true thrill to listen to, as she screams her emotional outburst into the microphone. Unfiltered emotion is another massive driver in “Life of the Spider (Draft).” In this song, Halsey channels Tori Amos with a raw, acoustic piano ballad recorded in a voice note style. They sing about a lost sense of self-worth due to an unfulfilling relationship, and about feeling useless and unsupported during her times of need. And yes, it’s as sad as it sounds; Halsey herself has cited this as the saddest song she’s ever written. Instead of comparing herself to an animal that humankind shows mercy for, she illustrates herself as a spider, an inconvenience, a creature to be interacted with as little as possible. It’s evident that Halsey’s last relationship was a very detrimental situation, which becomes more apparent as they paint a portrait of their ex in “Arsonist.” This Fiona Apple inspired track is highly experimental and very spooky - almost paranormal. Halsey describes her ex as someone who has little regard for those around him, acting in his best interest, no matter the impact on everyone else, comparing him to an arsonist who is ‘burning down the world to feel its heat.’ She feels chained to this person because she has a child with him and hopes that their child won’t end up anything like his father. It’s an unbelievably honest and brave track to have released. The lyrics are laced with unfiltered regret, an emotion that causes many to speak out of terms. But Halsey doesn’t state anything except for the facts of what she went through and how she was treated. A haunting, breathtaking outro closes the song off as Halsey longs to be rid of this aspect of their past.

“I Believe in Magic” is another track worth recognizing. Though I don’t feature it quite as heavily in my rotation, it’s a gorgeous ballad to motherhood, a frequently recurring theme in Halsey’s music. Her rainbow baby means the world to her, as she so often expresses, and “I Believe in Magic” is about pure love for family. It features clips of her son speaking, as well as her interacting with him. It’s easy enough to tell, but they have also stated that this is a song they created with the intention of her child listening to it when he’s older, being able to hear how much his mother loves him. My admiration for Halsey’s music is huge, obviously, but my admiration for her as a person is just as large, and I am extremely happy to see her living a life she worked so hard to build for herself. That happiness really shines through on this track, even if it is laced with melancholyism about her health and the uncertainty of the future. “Darwinism” is another real standout lyrically and musically. Illustrating a state of extreme anxiety and people-pleasing tendencies, Halsey has outright stated that this song is about life as a neurodivergent person, feeling socially outcast. No wonder it’s such a captivating listen; my personal experiences are echoed in each line. Instead of simply describing feelings, though, Halsey builds an eerie story about isolation on a global scale, with everything in the universe seemingly feeling infinitely larger than her. She references David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” the artist who this song was inspired by. Referencing a feeling of being lost in space with no means of self control, she creates an entire world based off her feelings of loneliness. “Hometown” is far from my favourite song on the record, but I adore it for the sake of it being a Dolly Parton impersonation, as well as the sweet nostalgic feel tied into it. Especially during her Tumblr days, Halsey has always been quite open about her youth, and how a combination of where she’s from and how she was raised shaped them into the person they are. “Hometown” is reminiscent of a peer who died as a teenager, at the same age as Halsey was hugely struggling, and how that impacted them.

The “Letter to God” saga of this record is a bold creative choice that illustrates Halsey coming to terms with her illness, growing up, and the overarching decades concept. A trilogy of these songs exist: “Letter to God (1974),” “Letter to God (1983),” and “Letter to God (1998).” The 1974 version comes first, as the most youthful voice of the pack. Similar to “Life of the Spider,” “1974” is recorded as a voice note, a tactic that leaves the words rawer than in its edited form. In this track, a child-aged Halsey longs for a way out of her broken home, growing jealous of a chronically ill peer who seems to have loving parents that she doesn’t. She naively begs, “please God, I wanna be sick,” but she regrets her pleas in the 1983 version. “1983” is told from the perspective of a grown Halsey who has become sick and realized that it’s not what they want. They have found happiness in aspects of their life and yearn for their health to improve so they can continue enjoying the fruits of their labour. She sings in the style of Bruce Springsteen to a crowd of screaming fans, taken from real footage of a Halsey concert, but all the while she’s rambling about the likelihood of her imminent death due to illness. She remains sarcastic and upbeat while expressing frustration with the energy she put into healing from her troubled youth, only for it to make no difference, because she’s still meeting the same fate. “1998” is told from a current perspective, one that seems to have made terms with the reality of the situation, but is still anxious and angry about it. ‘Please God, I don’t wanna be sick’ from the 1983 version really packs a punch, but ‘please God, you’ve gotta be sick’ from the 1998 version is extremely gut-wrenching. Despite feeling misunderstood in the greater world, they now have people in their life that they don’t want to lose, and she begs to any higher power that will listen to preserve her life. To break listeners’ hearts even further to Halsey’s health scares, they included more voice recordings of them and their beloved son alongside their own vocals in “1998.” It’s definitely one of the most memorable tracks on the record, even if it’s essentially just an interlude.

Fans were excited to hear the closing track, “The Great Impersonator,” as it’s the very first title track in Halsey’s entire discography. It’s a very reminiscent, autobiographical, end of an era-esque track to finish off such a carefully composed piece of music. Repeating the most prominent themes of the record, Halsey seems to make peace with the state she’s in. The track is conclusive, as they ponder how the world would react if they succumbed to illness in the public eye. Impersonating the individualistic Björk, she writes this song as a legacy to be left with when her time is up. The record is very load-bearing, very morbid in terms of how she felt when creating it. Luckily, these days, they are in a better place, feeling more hopeful for the future. The fact that she genuinely thought this might be her last album, her final chance to get an artistic statement across, makes The Great Impersonator all the more impressive. Halsey truly went all out in terms of promotion, production, audience immersement, and honest lyricism. As they begin teasing an upcoming tour in support of the record, I know it will be a jaw-dropping show, if the Vevo live performances she has already released are anything like her headlining set. They are, without a doubt, a once-in-a-lifetime artist, and even if this record isn’t your personal cup of tea, one must be able to acknowledge the sheer amount of hard work and talent that went into designing such a concept. I can only hope they continue to flourish in all aspects of their life, and while I adore their art with my whole heart, I wouldn’t blame them in the slightest for stepping out of the spotlight for a while as they heal. The Great Impersonator is a testament to how strong Halsey is as a person and an artist - how the universe can do everything to work against her, and yet, she will still prosper and reign supreme.

1. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish

What can I say? Billie Eilish continually blows me away in the best ways possible, and this record is her most impressive work yet. I’ve been a diehard fan since 2017, and when HMHAS was announced, I was still riding the high of how much I adored Happier Than Ever, and how much it spoke to the hardships I was facing at the time. It’s my own fault, but I wasn’t expecting something so vastly different with her 2024 follow-up. Upon first listen, it just didn’t stand out to me like her last record did. I had set my expectations for Eilish to release something within the box, and I truly should have known better. It took about a month for the ten new songs to slowly creep their way into my rotation, and then all at once, it just clicked into place for me, and I realized it was my favourite thing I’d heard all year. I went through focused phases with each individual song, where I just made an effort to really analyze and internalize every element of the music. The record is a cohesive journey, meant to be played front to back. Every instrumental segment and vocal trick has its place, and every transition hesitates for a mere second before evolving into something bigger. The best kind of art, in my opinion, is the kind that is so meticulously planned, where the care of the people making it shines through in every way. I feel that HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is a project that took Eilish’s artistic ability to a whole new level, and her enjoyment of both the performing and the crafting process are very much reflected in the end result.

The journey begins with “SKINNY,” a melancholy album opener that discusses Eilish’s relationship to fame and the unrelenting spotlight. It’s mine and many other fans’ least favourite song - but not because it’s bad, just because it’s less eventful than other unforgettable moments found on this record. The lyrics are pensive and raw, something the gen-z superstar mastered especially on Happier Than Ever. This tune segues directly into the aggressively sapphic bop that is “LUNCH.” Another thing that really set this record apart from everything else this year was how explicitly and unapologetically gay the songs were, while still being a very mainstream release. As someone who just fully came into my sexuality this past year, it means so much to me to hear songs about women loving women playing on the radio, and I can only imagine how validating it feels for queer youth who are even fresher into their self-discovery. “LUNCH” illustrates Eilish thirsting over a woman, bringing her over to her place and having a steamy afternoon together. The song is much more openly sexual than anything Eilish has released before, as she details all the things she craves to do to her romantic rendezvous during their encounter. She has actually cited writing this song as being a large part of how she came to understand her own sexuality and begin speaking about it. As the first hit from the album, “LUNCH” is an extremely bold choice, one that I am obsessed with, quite frankly.

After “LUNCH,” we get another of the album’s biggest successes, the hauntingly beautiful “CHIHIRO.” The title of this song is in reference to the protagonist in Spirited Away, one of the highly acclaimed Studio Ghibli’s most popular films. The song not only describes the feeling of being lost and misunderstood, but the instrumentation very efficiently echoes a feeling of existential anxiety in the listener. It’s one of those songs that completely transports you into another realm, the type you want to close your eyes and just let your mind wander while you listen to it. Eilish makes plentiful references to precise moments in Spirited Away, but she keeps things just abstract and mysterious enough that you can tell lyrics have been paralleled to her own life, you just can’t quite make out the way that story plays out. Eilish has been vocal about her desire for privacy as her fanbase has grown, and people on the internet have become more and more feral. “CHIHIRO” seems like an excellent mechanism for Eilish to tell her own story without raising too much speculation about her life outside of work.

By far, the most successful track from this release has been “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.” This smash hit quickly joined Spotify’s billions club, and is already well on its way to a whopping two billion streams. It’s a touching, carefree track about being deeply in love, and the music video assists in illustrating the feeling of being pulled in all different directions without control, because the bond between her and her partner is just too strong. The love Eilish sings about is one that most people long to find in their lifetime - an all-consuming, everlasting bond between two souls. She proclaims her endless admiration with absolute certainty that she will love this person until the day she dies, and possibly even after that. If it wasn’t already clear that this album is an immersive listening experience, the joy this song is capable of bringing must get the point across. I’ve never felt love like what Eilish describes, and yet when I hear this track, it makes me want to run and frolic in a meadow in the lovely fall weather. This has become known as a signature song for 2024, rightfully so. “WILDFLOWER,” the record’s next track, has become the second most well-known HIT ME HARD AND SOFT single. Eilish has stated, funnily enough, that she never would’ve dreamed of this track becoming a single, but the reception was so overwhelmingly positive that it’s the only thing that made sense. “WILDFLOWER” is mellow and acoustic, detailing somewhat of a love triangle in which Eilish is caught right in the middle. She sings about being friends with someone and comforting them through a bad breakup, only to fall in love with the person her friend broke up with. Anxious and wondering if she crossed a line and has lost a friendship she valued, she pours her feelings into the microphone as she ponders the morality of the situation she has wound up in. The chorus showcases powerful vocals from the singer - a consistent theme in this album. After once being known for her whisper-singing technique, “WILDFLOWER” takes what’s so great about Eilish’s past emotional ballads, and amplifies it to its fullest potential.

Next, we are met with “THE GREATEST,” another phenomenal, career-defining performance where Eilish just sings her lungs out to the tune of her feelings. Out of everything on the album, there are a couple of songs that had my jaw dropping to the floor on first listen - “THE GREATEST” was one of them. Starting off soft and slow but growing in intensity to the pace of the emotion, “THE GREATEST” details an affair in which both partners were not having their needs met equally, often leaving Eilish feeling bad about herself. Despite recognizing her numerous attempts to save the romance, the chorus contains hints of self-doubt and deprecation, albeit some sarcasm interlaced. The song reaches its climax with Eilish belting the bridge as she accuses her ex of never putting in the work and trying to make things last. She admits she still has love for this person, but it’s evidently in her best interest to end things. As she winds down from her release of emotion, she repeats one last chorus, this time with different lyrics. Her final reflection is stated - she regrets giving herself to this person devoid of love and passion, and reminisces one more time on what could have been. “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE” quickly follows, and trust me, it’s another jaw-dropper. This tongue-in-cheek anthem follows the formula of beginning mellow but turning intense, but it executes the idea in a different manner, with a danceable, techno-infused beat rather than raw, unplugged emotion. This song is possibly the best produced song in Eilish’s entire catalogue. It was the first song on the album to connect with me wholly and completely, as I’d recently gone through its lyrics in my own life, making it painstakingly relatable. It’s a must-know for any woman who has been caught up in a relationship where they are well aware they deserve better. “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE” seemingly follows the same relationship fallout as “THE GREATEST,” but it’s written from a far more confident mental space, one where Eilish is able to recognize that she’s incredibly glad this affair is over. The first part of this song, the calm before the storm, is a sarcastic declaration of regret; Eilish holds nothing back as she puts her ex in their place and states that she was the love of their life, but she will surely experience much greater loves. After one last chorus, some lyrics changed to reflect Eilish’s new-found clarity, a brief refrain takes us straight into ‘OVER NOW,’ part two of the five and a half minute long track. Unlike anything else in the artist’s catalogue, this segment feels like something one might find playing out on the dance floor (in fact, Eilish did release an extended edit for all the girlies who related and wanted to dance away the thoughts of their ex that sucks). ‘OVER NOW’ is suggestive, unapologetic, and holds nothing back about Eilish’s gratefulness when it comes to closing this chapter in her life. How she continues to stack some of her best performances of her career back to back on the same album is simply a mind-boggling feat.

“THE DINER” was my #1 song on my 2024 Spotify Wrapped. It immerses the listener Eilish’s experiences with stalkers, but it takes a terrifying, suspenseful topic and turns it into a riveting tale told from the mind of the stalker. In some of her older songs, like “NDA,” the singer recounts her experiences with stalkers in a way that makes her life sound mysterious, a tactic to arouse her suitor. She openly discusses with us regular folks what she has dealt with since being a teenager, as if it were a normal occurrence, albeit everyone knowing this experience must be quite debilitating. “THE DINER” is as sexy as it is deranged. As we journey through the mind of someone committing these acts, they have fully justified it to themselves, and they are under the delusion that Eilish could be happy to see them. Trying every angle to get to her, learning every private detail of her life, showing up unannounced… Eilish fully immerses herself into the concept of figuring out what would possess someone to act this way, and she successfully creates an absolute banger in which this person will stop at nothing to get with her. They are oblivious to the fear they are invoking; they believe that leaving their name behind at the scene of the crime will assist them in their quest to win her over. It describes a dangerous, intoxicating crush that fully takes over the mind and body, but all the while, it employs addicting, irresistible instrumentals. The utter obsession described within the lyrics, mixed with the flawless production of such a unique backing beat, create heavy undertones of seductiveness. Eilish’s personal and sexual confidence are mirrored heavily in this track, and without explicit references to wildly invasive behaviour, “THE DINER” could be seen as an ode to pure, unfiltered desire and desperation for connection with another person.

Such undertones continue into “BITTERSUITE,” the grand follow up to the album’s closing track. Holding onto another wildly unexpected musical intro, one would expect this to be another upbeat, “L’AMOUR DE ME VIE” moment, but Eilish doesn’t fail to keep listeners on their toes. A bold electronic-infused intro becomes abruptly devoid at the drop of the hat, as soon as Eilish brings forth her powerhouse voice. The track quickly reveals itself as yet another ever-changing, evolving puzzle piece to a larger piece of art. There is honestly so much going on in this song that still, after over sixty listens, I am noticing new things. The first segment of the track details powerful sexual desires, but a self-restraint from following through with them,  implying that the affair is forbidden in nature. The second segment is marked by a sudden drop in tempo, and a much more explicitly provocative approach, one in which Eilish makes it clear that she is constantly dreaming of her suitor, and that the pair are frequently meeting discreetly. Finally, the final drop leads us into a confusing segment in which Eilish is recorded mumbling, likely to the song’s subject, but exactly what she is saying remains unclear. She has stated that this part of the song is meant to feel a little disorienting, much like “CHIHIRO.” After a few sentences, the outro resumes, and it’s a breathtaking instrumental mimicking both the intro to “BITTERSUITE,” and the intro to the upcoming “BLUE,” but even more all-encompassing than either sample. The outro to this song is simply gorgeous; I feel like I’m ascending every time I hear it, and I have to stop whatever I’m doing to fully feel it. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this song is the stunning triple entendre going on within the track’s title. At surface level, it’s a play on the word bittersweet. It’s also a direct reference to hotel suites, something mentioned multiple times throughout this song and a recurring theme in the album as a whole. The style of the song is also reminiscent of a musical suite one might find within classical tracks or theatre numbers. Eilish is pure genius, and it really shines through here, during these incredibly cohesive last few tracks.

Eilish’s harmonized vocals are haunting in the intro of “BLUE,” and they lead right into the stunning first chorus of the final song. Once again split into multiple components, “BLUE” is heartbreaking, but begins upbeat (at least as far as upbeat goes for a Billie Eilish song). The complete track incorporates two fan-favourite unreleased demos from recent years, merging them into something whole. Part one is about knowing you should be over someone but you’re not, whereas part two slows into a state of ashamedness about the relationship. Towards the beginning of the track, Eilish makes one-off references to other songs from the album, but with devastating twists - e.g. “I thought we were the same, birds of a feather.” She’s done this as a means of summarizing the album’s themes on all three works now, but HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is a lot more interesting in the sense that the story is very abstract, but tediously linked together. Seeing as she’s speaking directly to someone in this track, the connections leave one to wonder what muses, what phases of Eilish’s life, inspired each emotion explored on the record. The constantly shifting moods and tempos within “BLUE” make it a cinematic whirlwind of a listen. The build-up to each change keeps listeners on their toes nonstop. The overarching mellowness of the track only allows for so strong of a build-up, but that makes it all the better when one part of the song is wrapped up and the next begins. By the end of the track, Eilish references her own struggles and areas of her life in which she feels unsatisfied, before fading into a grand orchestral outro. If you listen closely, you can hear Eilish repeating “It’s over now” from “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE” in the background right at the end, before Eilish sarcastically states “but when can I hear the next one,” getting another word in about the demanding, soul crushing pressure that many people put on artists to constantly produce content.

Billie Eilish has hugely evolved as an album artist. While her past two albums were cohesive, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT took the concept to new heights and absolutely smashed it out of the park. Only three albums into her career, Eilish is reaching heights some longtime artists still dream of. I once resonated deeply with Happier Than Ever, in awe of how honest it was, but this record is another level of transparency, evident of the divide Eilish has created between her personal and professional life. She seems to have found a distance to hold herself from the general public in which she can still be authentic in her songwriting, and I am extremely happy for her after everything she’s been through, and everything she’s capable of if she keeps writing this way. This album is a must-listen for anyone and everyone. Eilish’s style is very individual, and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but the Billie Eilish heard on this album is not the same woman you’ve heard about in previous years. The sheer amount of dedication reflected in this album is awe-inspiring - not that she needed to prove herself, but Eilish most certainly has done so, for anyone who wasn’t already paying attention. Unapologetic, sapphic, gen-z popstars are the present and future of the music industry, and I am so very grateful to be living in such a timeline.