Music
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: Camila Cabello
Get caught up in the Cuban-American pop icon's second album, Romance
Romance has certainly been on the cards for Camila Cabello this year, as she returns with the follow up to her 2018 solo debut, Camila.
The Fifth Harmony alumnus has become known for adding a Latin twist to her pop-meets-RnB sound ever since she recorded Hey Ma with Pitbull and J Balvin for The Fate of the Furious soundtrack back in 2017. Her debut solo single Crying in the Club, which followed in May of that same year, cemented that sound… at least until now.
Her sophomore effort is a 13-track love story and includes Cabello’s award-winning duet with Canadian singer – and real-life love interest – Shawn Mendes.
Some of her inspiration is clear, as Romance lyrically explores the all-consuming rush of falling in love – the sparks flying, hormones surging, can’t-get-enough passion – against a backdrop of experimental melodies.
Sure, there’s still plenty of catchy pop hooks, some spirited guitar riffs, and some sporadic hand-claps, but the Latin intonation from her debut has been mostly stripped away.
She doesn’t completely stray from her roots though – there’s a Santana-esque guitar solo in the last third of Cry For Me, an instant pop classic and change of pace after the airy balladry of Dream Of You.
The upbeat melodies of Shameless and Liar, which were released together, sample Ace Of Base’s All That She Wants and Lionel Richie’s All Night Long, while mixing in some jazz-inspired instrumentals and detailing Cabello’s denial and loss of control as she tries and fails not to fall in love.
Addressing her lover, Easy talks of empowerment and learning to love yourself and be loved, while the slow-burning nature of This Love builds tension up again.
She released fifth single Living Proof in November 2019, with the debut live performance taking place at this year’s AMA’s.
At its core, the album invites fans to embrace romance: to feel the heat, the urgency and, in some cases, the lunacy and desperation that comes with being wooed and eventually falling in love. In that case, sign us up!
Camila Cabello will bring The Romance Tour to the UK in June 2020. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.co.uk
Tracklisting
1. Shameless
2. Living Proof
3. Should’ve Said It
4. Señorita (with Shawn Mendes)
5. Liar
6. Bad Kind of Butterflies
7. Easy
8. Feel It Twice
9. Dream of You
10. Cry for Me
11. This Love
12. Used to This
13. First Man
Listen to Romance on Spotify: