Camila Cabello, Romance | Album Review 💿

Grammy-nominated pop artist Camila Cabello releases an enjoyable, well-rounded sophomore album with Romance. 

Camila Cabello had an incredibly busy 2019 – understatement. She released numerous singles, six of which appear on her sophomore album, Romance.  Romance arrives just shy of two years after her debut project, Camila, best known for “Havana”.  Romance doesn’t have a hit nearly as potent, but all in all, the album is enjoyable and well-rounded. There are still plenty of hits. It’s not flawless, but Romance has no glaring injustices – no utterly abysmal mishaps.

“Shameless

“I need you more than I want to.” Cabello speaks about her necessities on ✓ “Shameless”, a record including elements of electro- and alt-pop, as well as a dash of pop/rock. There’s a nice build-up of intensity on this minor key cut. Throughout, Cabello compels vocally, showcasing an arsenal comprised of breathiness, falsetto, playfulness, and grit (during the chorus).  Additionally, during the chorus, there’s vocal layering and harmonization, adding more excellence. The post-chorus is accompanied by rhythmic drums and the repeated lyrics, “No-oh, uh-uh, don’t wanna do this now…” The bridge contrasts. One last note: a key lyric at the end of the second verse is, “And I’m tired of loving somebody that’s not mine, no,” which references loving long distance.  Preach Camila, preach! 

“Where did you come from baby? / And were you sent to save me? / Ooh, there’s a God in every move / Ooh, and you’re the living proof.” ✓ 🤩 “Living Proof” ranks among the best moments on Romance. This sleek, urban pop joint, produced by Mattman & Robin, features some dynamic synths and pummeling, rhythmic drums. As far as songwriting, the topics are unsurprising: love, romance, and sex. The best moment is undoubtedly the chorus, where Cabello delivers some of the most impressive falsetto of her career.  She excels at being sultry and sexy.  She also manages to throw in some blasphemy, further accentuating the suggestive, sensual nature of “Living Proof.”  On the first verse, she sings, “I wanna study every inch of you / ‘Til you trust me to make the angels come through.” On the second, she’s more devilish: “Show your demons, and I might show you mine.” On the pre-chorus, sex and religion co-exist seamlessly: “Like a choir singing, ‘Hallelujah,’ / When my body’s crashin’ right into you.” 

“Should’ve Said It”

Following “Living Proof” is a tall task – it’s ‘da bomb diggity.’  Despite the odds against her, Cabello does extremely well for herself on ✓ “Should’ve Said It.” “Should’ve Said It” checks off all of the boxes, making it quite the successful record.  Her vocals are expressive, and she exhibits attitude, personality, and swagger. Furthermore, the production slick (Frank Dukes, Ricky Reed, and Nate Mercereau), and the songwriting is memorable, particularly the chorus.  Follow-up tongue-in-cheek gem ✓ “My Oh My” finds Cabello tapping infectious and ubiquitous rapper DaBaby (“Suge”) for a guest spot – winning formula. The song itself is also infectious, with Cabello coming off playful and fun: “They say he likes a good time (My oh my).” 

“I love it when you call me señorita / I wish I could pretend I didn’t need ya / But every touch is ooh-la-la-la / It’s true, la-la-la / Ooh, I should be runnin’…” Cabello duets with Shawn Mendes on the Latin-tinged, summery single ✓ “Señorita”, a former no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Cabello shows off her upper register, while Mendes compels with his beautiful vocal tone, upping the ante even more when he breaks into vocal harmonies. Their best moment, unsurprisingly, is the sexy, incredibly catchy chorus, excerpted above.  As far as production is concerned, watt, benny blanco, and Cashmere Cat assemble a backdrop blending Latin cues/sensibilities and pop music respectably.

“Liar”

“I don’t believe myself when I / Say that I don’t need you, oh.”  Apparently, Camila Cabello lied to herself on ✓ 🤩“Liar”, among the crème de la crème of Romance. “Liar” features jazzy, Latin-tinged production work, once more courtesy of watt and The Monsters & Strangerz.  Samples “All That She Wants” (Ace of Base) and “All Night Long (All Night)” (Lionel Richie) fuel the fire. The groove latches from the onset, with reggaeton influences prominent. Cabello serves up playful, sassy vocals, perfectly matching the Latin music cues. Excellent use of vocal layering, particularly when Cabello sings in octaves, accentuates the brilliance of the record. The chorus serves as the centerpiece, in all its catchiness.

“Bad, bad butterflies in my chest / There’s something I gotta confess / Yes, somebody’s stuck in my head…” Matters of the heart continue to dominate Romance on “Bad Kind of Butterflies.”  Short but sweet, this minor-key joint gives the listeners a sense of enigma, not to mention that signature Cabello falsetto in all it’s glory. The production’s pretty sweet too. Moving on, “You tell me that I’m complicated / And that might be an understatement / Anything else?” Cabello sings on the first verse of “Easy”. Cabello’s lover characterizes her throughout the course of the record, ultimately singing her praises. Cabello sings about his wonderfulness, with the most elite moment occurring during the second verse.  Here, he takes no issues with her insecurities, embracing them (“I never liked my crooked teeth / You tell me they’re your favorite thing…”).  Once more, Cabello sings well, particularly when she hits her upper register.

“Feel it Twice” 

The back half of Romance features a number of ballads. Cabello does a fine job with them, but perhaps there are a few too many of them. That said, both “Feel it Twice” and “Dream of You” are soundly executed, with Cabello showing off that shimmering upper register. “Feel it Twice” might get the slight edge over “Dream of You,” but both of them play to strengths of Cabello. “Feel it Twice” may be a shade more engaging.

“When I said I hope you’re happy, didn’t mean it / Never thought you’d be so good at moving on…” As the pre-chorus from the quicker “Cry for Me” suggests, Camila Cabello’s ex seems to have rebounded from their break-up. This is confirmed on the verses of the advance single. “Yeah, you look so happy walking down the street, don’t you baby,” she sings on the first verse, continuing, “Did you forget, you said that in this lifetime you can never get over me?”  On the second, she’s jealous of his new girlfriend, and how he treats her: “Yeah, she should be thanking me / Oh, who’s gonna touch you like me?” Interestingly, despite her feelings, “Cry for Me” is quite groovy, with a quicker than expected tempo given the fact the song comes from the perspective of a lover who feels scorned.  Cabello has a bit more bite vocally than usual, letting her emotions shine freely.  It all comes to a head on the chorus, where Camila states her desires. 

“This Love” 

✓ “This Love” returns Cabello to balladry following a temporary break on “Cry for Me.” The results are strong, finding Cabello singing more in her lower and middle register on the verse, before belting it out during the powerful chorus. More than “Feel it Twice” or “Dream of You,” it feels like she allows herself to let loose.  Of course, maybe it’s the f-bomb that fuels her fire on the chorus. Penultimate, mid-tempo record “Used to This” has some similarities to “Easy” – the phrasing and the songwriting. It continues the pleasantry of Romance.  The same could be said of concluding ballad “First Man,” where Cabello is totally ‘in her feelings.’ A piano ballad in the pop/rock vein, it works out well.  Is it the most thrilling record? No but it certainly shows off Cabello’s talent.

Final Thoughts

All in all, Romance is an enjoyable sophomore album from Camila Cabello.  Does the “Havana” chanteuse reinvent the pop wheel or flip the music industry on its side? Absolutely not.  That said, Romance has its plenty of fun, memorable, and worthwhile moments.  There are easily more pros than cons.  Will we talk about Romance years from now? That may be pushing it, but Cabello does her thing here. 

✓ Gems: “Shameless,”  🤩“Living Proof,” “Should’ve Said It,” “My Oh My,” “Señorita,”  🤩 “Liar” & “This Love”  

Camila Cabello • Romance • Epic • Release: 12.6.19

Photo Credit: Epic