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Canadian singer/songwriter Alessia Cara released her third studio album late September and I will refuse to listen until sweater weather So here I am snuggled up under three blankets blasting In The Meantime at 2am and giving my honest opinion.
As an active follower of Cara, I was hyped for this album because she gave snippets of the songs via Instagram weeks leading to the release and I wasn't sure to expect. Alessia has always been vocal about the experience of going from childhood to early adulthood and all the challenges that come along the way, so I was ready to cry about growing up, much like her second album Growing Pains.
If you truly want to step into a singer's mind when listening to their music, Alessia Cara is your girl. She has a way of pulling you in from the start with Unboxing Intro then hitting you with Box in the Ocean that gives us a perfect description of the whole album in 3:16 minutes. I mean c'mon,
“All these explosive emotions I'm holding but you'll never know because I put them in a box in the ocean”
Beautiful lyrics in this song and it's all so relatable, as a 20 year old myself dealing with the constant battle of acting like an adult and still thinking I'm still so young for all of this. All these realities of growing up are around the corner and Cara has a way of describing all the emotions that come with that. She hits this topic of transitioning to adulthood in Fishbowl, Clockwork, and my personal favorite song on the album, Best Days.
“So much harder to be honest with yourself at 20-something wish I knew what I'm becoming and felt the ground while I was on it”
And like any 20- something year old, we face heartbreak, drama, and everything in between that deals with relationships. Alessia is no stranger to love and in this album she really cut through her nice girl front and let everyone know how she feels about a certain lover. Bluebird, Lie to Me, I Miss You, Don't Call Me, Drama Queen, Find My Boy, Slow Lie, and You Let Me Down, and Somebody Else.
“There's no grey this time, it's black and white
I'm by myself, you're somebody else”
Some songs about relationships I need to highlight are Shapeshifter and Middle Ground (feat. CHIKA). Shapeshifter was one of Alessia's singles off the album and if you haven't watched the music video for this song - stop reading and go watch it. Her creativity on this album in all aspects has blown all her other projects out of the water. We are starting to see what Mrs. Know-It-All is about and it's amazing, she has many talents and such a presence and it's time to take note of her. Now, Middle Ground is a big deal because it's the first song Alessia has included a feature on an album and the feature did not disappoint. The song takes us through the conversation we've all had with ourselves when thinking about entering a relationship and being indecisive about the whole situation.
“I don't know what I want, to give in or give up
This middle ground I’m on is drivin’ me crazy”
Lastly, Alessia Cara puts out some songs about being alone, having insomnia, feeling stuck, and self doubt in Voice in my head, Fishbowl, Apartment Song, and Sweet Dream. All hitting topics that are extremely relatable for many young adults. Sweet Dream was her other single off the album and like shapeshifter, the concept of the video is genius and makes the experience for the rest of the album even more enjoyable.
“My heavy eyes, I can never seem to close em
My running mind, just can't catch it when it's going”
So, even if you're not 20-something, Alessia Cara’s In the Meantime has so many relatable songs. If you're 15 or 51 the emotional rollercoaster is there when streaming this album. I suggest watching the music videos for Sweet Dream, Shapeshifter, and Best Days before embarking on the rest of the album to get the full experience. Alessia Cara had a set vision for this album and you can see it. Visually, vocally, and lyrically, it’s a 10 out of 10 for me.