Never Be the Same: A slightly slower, more romantic song about finding someone you love and forever being changed by them, automatically we’re starting the album with something pretty relatable. I love the hook on this one, the beat is really pounding on this one, and Camila’s vocals are pretty great throughout, and the hint of rasp in her voice is really interesting. I definitely want to come back to this one in the future.
All These Years: The acoustic guitar intro on this one kinda reminded me of “Starving” by Zedd, Hailee Steinfeld and Grey. The song talks about an encounter that Camila had with an ex, and it’s a really nice track. I like the light melody on the track, her beautiful vocals are here as usual, and for as light as it is, I still feel like it’s got some of that classic punch and energy that we used to see out of Camila when she was with Fifth Harmony. It’s pretty short, yes, but at least it doesn’t overstay its welcome. I really like this one, too!
She Loves Control: Here, Camila talks about a very bossy girl who wants to have control and do things her way. It’s very dance-y, fun, infectious, and full of energy! I love Camila’s vocals as always, and the song features a really sweet, Spanish guitar melody. This is another track I can see myself going back to a lot in the future, it’s just too much fun to ignore.
Havana (ft. Young Thug): A huge hit when it first released in 2017, this ode to Camila’s home of Cojímar, a village in East Havana, Cuba, is punchy, energetic, and damn-near hypnotic. I love the really bouncy piano melody, the hook is extremely catchy, Camila’s vocals are beautiful, and even Young Thug’s verse meshes nicely with the piano melody. This is a song I’ve listened to quite a bit since its release, and I’ve definitely had plenty of fun with it. I expect to continue going back to this one a lot in the future.
Inside Out: A more bouncy song about love with a very reggae feel, I love the beat on this one, the really fun piano melody, and Camila’s typical strong vocals. The hook is also really fun and catchy, and I love her switching between English and Spanish on the bridge. Another track that I love.
Consequences: A slower, more piano-driven ballad that feels like a huge change of pace for Camila, but it’s honestly a pretty heartbreaking song: this one talks about the impact of one of Camila’s exes on her life, from loving him to their eventual breakup. It’s slow, it’s beautifully performed, and Camila’s vocals flow wonderfully with the light piano melody. Another one I can’t help but love.
Real Friends: Another lighter track, this one is punchy but more acoustic guitar-driven, and Camila talks here about wanting to find real friends and not wanting to feel lonely in the world. It’s a very introspective track that really works for me: the light acoustic melody flows nicely with Camila’s really beautiful vocals, and her flow and delivery on the hook make this one really fun. I definitely feel like I’ll be coming back to this one a lot in the future.
Something’s Gotta Give: Another more piano-driven, slower song, with a very light beat, this one talks about Camila’s tendency to give as much as she can, and how this hurts her in the long run. It’s another heart-wrenching track that features some really delicate vocals from Camila, a really beautiful instrumental, and a beat that fits perfectly with the piano melody and Camila’s vocals. This is another one I find so easy to love!
In the Dark: A song Camila wrote after meeting a famous boy at the Grammys. The slightly more trap-flavored beat makes this one feel a little darker than the other tracks here, but it’s still very punchy and energetic, Camila’s vocals are very nice as always, and the lyrics are quite interesting and they add to the dark feeling the song gives off. Really interesting, really good track.
Into It: One of the sexier tracks on this album, the instrumental on this one is really sharp and fun, Camila’s vocals are great as always, and the subtly sex-driven lyrics make it an extremely fun and infectious track. It’s definitely Camila in her comfort zone, but after some really light tracks, it’s nice to see her ending off with something really energetic and punchy.
Never Be the Same (Radio Edit): Almost the same exact track as before, the only difference between that the lyric “just like nicotine, heroin, morphine” was changed to “just like nicotine, rushin’ me, touchin’ me” to make things a little more radio-friendly. The change in lyrics doesn’t affect my enjoyment of the track either way. Everything I said about the track before stands after the second listen. And while starting and ending the album with the same song might seem repetitive, I think it actually serves as a decent way to bookend things, especially given the theme of “never ever being the same” being evident on this track. Maybe that’s just me, but I like it.
Overall, this album didn’t disappoint me whatsoever. Camila’s debut full-length record gives us a great look at her talents as a vocalist and a songwriter, and it shows us a new side of Camila that we didn’t initially get when she was with Fifth Harmony. Here, we see a more introspective, personal, emotional Camila making a mixture of more upbeat songs that feel perfectly in her comfort zone, along with some much slower, much different tracks that feel more emotional and delicate, and this great balance leads to a really beautiful, wonderful album that’s just way too much fun. Camila talked about wanting to make a good first impression with this record and wanting to make something really beautiful, and I’ve gotta say, she succeeds with flying colors. It felt like her solo career was gonna happen sooner or later, and it’s amazing to see that it’s going off without a hitch.
Camila, half of your heart might be in Havana, but I can tell that your whole heart was in this album.
Favorite tracks: EACH AND EVERY ONE!!!!!
Least favorite tracks: NAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH NO WAY!!!!!
Rating: Excellent
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