So as you know by now, I love finding new music to listen to. I also love when an artist or band I like comes out with a new album. It makes me get really, really excited.
One of my favorite artists just released a new album on Friday. I normally don’t do posts solely on one album, but I just had to do one on this.
I have always been a fan of Selena Gomez. The first CD I ever purchased was her album “A Year Without Rain”. I also relate to her in that she deals with both mental illness and a lifelong autoimmune disease. I know how hard it can be to struggle with multiple ailments, and she has handled it all with such grace. She is open about her struggles, and is honest when it comes to sharing her story.
On Friday she released her latest album “Rare”. It is such an amazing album, and there isn’t a single song on it that I don’t love.
I wanted to do a track-by-track semi-review. I wanted to share my thoughts on each song, what I love about it, etc. I hope that you guys like it, and go check out Selena Gomez’s new album, “Rare”.
RARE TRACK BY TRACK
Rare
This is a perfect song to start the album off with. The drums are super slick, I love the echo they have to them. One thing this album really highlights is self love and moving forward with your life. “Rare” sets the tone for the rest of the album. She looks back at her previous experiences, but knows that it’s okay to look forward. She knows that she is special, and that one day someone will recognize it too.
Dance Again
This is one of those songs that you can’t not dance to when you hear it. The bass is super slick (I’ll probably be saying this a lot, though). One thing I really appreciate is that it is sonically cohesive without every song sounding the same. It seems as if she’s really found her voice and her sound musically. The theme here is definitely positivity. After everything that she has been through, she can finally dance again. One of my favorite lyrics off the album is in this song: “Confidence is throwing your heart through every brick wall”. There’s a huge emphasis in this record on not forgetting the past. She embraces it, and uses it to fuel her self confidence. She’s able to dance again, while still recognizing the past and staying vulnerable.
Look At Her Now
This was the second single she released before the album was released. The inspiration for this song is pretty clear. I love the confidence expressed here though! It is such a bop, and has some amazing lyrics in it. My favorite is: “what a thing to be human, made her more of a woman.” Our mistakes and difficulties help us grow, and I’m glad that she sees it that way. Even though she went through a rough relationship, she sees it as a lesson. And even though she experienced a rough relationship, doesn’t mean that she has given up on love. She knows she will find it if she wants it and when she is ready for it. It’s a great song to listen to for a confidence boost.
Lose You To Love Me
And this was the first single she released. I teared up the first time I heard it. She cowrote all of the songs, so it’s a very personal record, and it shows in the album’s message and tone. “Lose You To Love Me” is a beautiful ballad, and a great pick for the lead single. Normally, the lead single is chosen by how well it teases the feel or message of an album. This song accomplishes that purpose well. It’s nice to hear the album now and see how the themes represented in that song- self love, healing and growth, acknowledging the past but moving forward, and staying vulnerable- are also represented in different ways amongst the other songs. This song in particular acknowledges that loss and pain can be what motivates us to love ourselves. We often have to let go of aspects of the past in order to grow. I know that from experience. And that’s one of the reasons I love this album, is because I identified with the themes and the messages in the songs. it also made me really excited to see what she would do next, and I love that she chose a ballad as well for the lead single, because that isn’t always the case.
Ring
Another great confidence boosting song. It packs so much sass in it. I don’t know what effect that’s used on her vocals, but it sounds amazing. It almost has an old school feel to it, but is really modern at the same time. I can see a heist going down with this song playing in the background, in a black and white color scheme. It’s a fun, sassy song. There are songs that, to me, could inspire a whole story. A short story about a bank heist in the twenties maybe? Now I’m getting more ideas than I need. Anyways, it’s a fun song and radiates confidence and sass.
Vulnerable
One of my favorites from this album, definitely. The verses are written out as a series of questions, asking that if she were to show you all of the hurt, would you be able to handle it? She reaches the conclusion that, instead of letting go of those old experiences and feelings, she would rather stay vulnerable. Finding a balance between the honesty, emotion, and confidence, that’s what this song highlights. It’s okay to be vulnerable, because your past is a part of you. You are allowed to be super confident and fierce while also being sensitive and vulnerable. That’s the message here, and it’s a beautiful one.
People You Know
Another song where the inspiration is pretty clear. You can hear the dissapointment in her delivery. She saw everything play out, and at this point, is sick of the drama. She’s over it. At one point we were close, but now you I don’t know you anymore. That’s the message here. Sometimes you get fed up with people, or even life. And you just have to get it out. And sometimes, that’s through a song. Glad to see that she got it out of her system, and that she is moving on.
Let Me Get Me
Sometimes our anxiety can get the better of us. And in this track, she recognizes that. But instead, she chooses to focus on the good, and won’t let her mind bring her down. Such a great track highlighting the benefit of a positive mindset. When you are in a great place, you want to stay there and live fully in it. And that’s what this track says. Upbeat, fun, and a must for a dance party.
Crowded Room (feat. 6LACK)
I haven’t been able to get this song out of my head- the chorus is super catchy. The instrumental is so slick. It feels like one of those songs you listen to with the top down. I also really like the addition of 6LACK’s verses in the bridge. He has a unique style of presenting it, almost more like he’s talking to you. This is one I definitely could see as a following single, because it was made to be played on the radio. That being said, it’s still a really good song. It gets stuck in your head easily, but it’s a really well written and produced song.
Kinda Crazy
To me the feel here is indifference. Looking back, things started out really sweet. But then, the other person started acting kind of crazy. She gets to the point where she’s had enough of the shady behavior, and ends up being okay. The best line here, in my opinion, is “You’ve been lying just for fun, luckily no damage done.” Even though she had to put up with the crazy, there isn’t any damage done. She is able to just move on. And in hindsight, now she sees that they’re kinda crazy.
Fun
The song is just what it says it is: fun. The harmonies are really cool. It’s a nice break from the personal stories, and shows that amongst the chaos there is still room for fun. She said that she went into the studio wanting to right something fun and upbeat, and this is perfect. It is exactly that. The key even feels a bit lighter, and it shows that fun and flirty side.
Cut You Off
So we’ve heard how she felt, how the relationship was, what the outcome was, and now we get to the action. When something is toxic, you just have to cut it out of your life. And that’s what she did. She cut it off. You get to that point, and when you cut it out, it’s like a weight is lifted. You can hear it in the production. The background vocals are light and airy. The production is overall simple. The lyrics aren’t complicated, just enough to get the point across. It feels like fresh air. She cut it off and was able to breathe easier.
A Sweeter Place (feat. Kid Cudi)
I think this song is a great closer. It feels like it tells the main ideas expressed throughout the album. She was questioning if there was a sweeter place she could go to, but ending up finding it. It took a while to get there, and she had to disappear for a while in order to find herself. But she came back stronger. She found that place where her head is so clear. She found her voice, and I love to see her using it.
So in review, I love this album. I love that it shows healing and growth in an honest, yet positive way. It isn’t easy. In fact, sometimes healing is painful. But it is worth it, and you will come out stronger. Also, she highlights how you can be vulnerable while still being confident. She is an empath, and doesn’t view it as a bad thing. Rather, she embraces it. It’s okay to be sensitive sometimes; your sensitive or empathetic nature doesn’t diminish your strength. For me, it’s only made me stronger. And it seems to be doing the same for her.
This album really resonated with me, because of my own journey. I felt a connection to the themes and overall message, because I’ve had to undergo my own journey of healing and growth. I had to disappear for a while, but came back stronger. So it’s nice to see someone who has had a similar experience sharing it. And letting others know that it will work out and be okay in the long run 🙂
That’s it for now! Thanks for taking the time to read this, this post was a bit longer than usual. What is currently inspiring you? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time 🙂
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