Let these ladies offer some hope for this year while governments can't.
We've curated a list of quarantine companions for whatever mood you're in. We thank these ladies for not letting the pandemic stop them from releasing music (while still ensuring proper health and safety protocols were observed in the process of producing these albums), proving once again how women are unstoppable.
Taylor Swift, Folklore - The perfect quarantine companion is that which was developed in this period. There aren't many stories while in lockdown. Zoom fatigue and backaches are the recurring pains of our situation. What Taylor Swift did in isolation was to look for stories beyond the bounds of her physical spaces. With her imagination running wild, she brought us to new places while keeping our feet planted on our own hallowed grounds.
Lady Gaga, Chromatica - Gaga didn't just create an album, she created her own universe. The songs are perfect for mini-dance parties or tiny desk concerts. While Stupid Love, Rain on Me, and 911 are great singles on their own, you have to listen to the entire album to enjoy its full feel. We can't overhype the transition from Chromatica II to 911 enough!
Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia - Is it disco? Is it retro? Is it electro-pop? Future Nostalgia is all of this and more. Dua Lipa shows an image of what an empowered woman is capable of 1. She knows what she wants and tells it like it is; 2. she is unafraid of her own feelings; 3. she calls out the ways society teaches boys and girls about antiquated beliefs on gender. All these concepts are jam-packed in an album that you can sing and dance to.
Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated Side B - Everyone knew that Carly Rae has a few more songs hidden up her sleeves. And sure enough, 2019's Dedicated album does have a Side B. The new tracks have a lighter feel to them but they are just as good as their predecessors. Natalia Barr of Consequence of Sound put it perfectly: "you can hear Jepsen sing with a smile before she explodes into a gated drum-filled chorus". Hearing her smile makes you smile too as you listen to the entire album.
Niki, Moonchild - Niki's album is the musical equivalent of walking barefoot on the grass under the moonlight. Her voice is sweet like a lullaby but the songs are all so good you wouldn't want to fall asleep. Moonchild puts you into a musical trance only you sleep-dance instead of sleep-walk.
Blackpink, The Album - Four years after the group's debut, comes their much-awaited full-length album. While we are disappointed with the album's title --which is like using "password" as your password--the tracklist doesn't disappoint. The first single, "How You Like That", which was released in June, is everything you expect from a Blackpink song (it's Teddy Park at his most Teddy-ness) while its latest title track, "Lovesick Girls" is quite unexpected, trading off their signature heavy bass with electro house beats reminiscent of artists like Icona Pop or Charli XCX. Blackpink really said "sawi but make it upbeat."
Hayley Williams, Petals for Armor - When the release of Hayley Williams' solo album was announced, any casual listener would ask: "How is this gonna sound any different from the songs she releases with Paramore?" Williams was patient in giving us the answer in this three-part EP. The songs, like the album release, can be best described as a sweet, slow-burn, like the sensation of taking a deep inhale and dragging your favorite cigarette. Careful not to flick your fingers, you let the ash build at the end of the line, waiting for gravity to do its thing, and eventually pull the burnt remains to the ground.
Charli XCX, how i'm feeling now - This album has all that raw, found-footage goodness. Written and produced while on quarantine, all tracks have a "DIY" quality to them as if each song was produced with imperfection in mind. Listening to the album reminds us of the days we would sing in front of the electric fan to create a makeshift autotuned sound without the pricey equipment.
Chloe x Halle, Ungodly Hour - Contrary to the album title, Ungodly Hour showcases the R&B duo's heavenly notes. God really has his favorites, and two of them come from the Bailey family. Do yourself a favor and search for their VMA 2020 performance of Ungodly Hour. You can thank us later.
Kiana V, Corners - A song you can definitely add to your personal "Lo-fi hip-hop beats to study to" playlist. Just as its title promises, "Corners" is unimposing and sits comfortably at the corner of your mind. It's a welcome addition to any rainy day or studies session playlist with chill beats softly rippling on your eardrums.
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, WAP - Last but not least is the song that broke the internet. Hip-hop powerhouses Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion really killed us with this track. The song launched thousands of TikToks and Instagram stories from passionate performances to playful parodies. It is such a bop! If this song is a prelude to Cardi's next album, consider us WAP (waiting around patiently.)
Some honorary mentions:
Beyonce, Black is King - We would be remiss to miss Queen B out on our list. But as much as we would like to write a short review on this album, we were limited to the ones we can access through Spotify. If we have readers out there who've listened to or watched this visual album, feel free to write us your review.
Selena Gomez, Rare - Gomes has really come to her own unique music flavor since 2015's Revival, her first solo album after leaving Hollywood Records, which effectively severed her ties with anything Disney. Rare follows in the footsteps of its predecessor with Selena's signature "talk-singing" vocal style. This album is something we enjoyed listening to at the beginning of the year, but January feels like ages ago so we couldn't quite qualify this as a quarantine companion.
Ariana Grande, positions - We couldn't do a full-on review of this album as it only came out a few days before writing this post. Grande continues the artistic vibe she put out in 2018's sweetener and 2019's thank u, next, this time being a little bit lighter and a bit personal. The song arrangements are more reminiscent of her past work, but with more mature themes. Almost all songs have 'Explicit' tags on Spotify! While it doesn't match the heaviness of 2014's My Everything or the glamour of 2016's Dangerous Woman, it can still be a good album if you give it a chance.
Photos from:
Carly Rae Jepsen - Minneapolis - State Theatre via Andy Witchger
Taylor Swift on Good Morning America for the launching of her Red Album, in October 2012 via Paolo Villanueva
Cardi B Photo by Chris Allmeid
Namroud Gorguis on Unsplash
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