Camila Cabello takes us straight to her Latin roots in her alluring self-titled debut, Camila.

After departing from th multi-platinum girl group, Fifth Harmony, Cabello began to focus solely on creating her first solo effort.

Since its debut, Camila has been head-to-head with The Greatest Showman but has now surpassed that record, becoming the #1 album on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. Cabello also became one of the youngest artists to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 this decade; she is  only 20 years old.  

Garnering a whopping 119k sales and going #1 in over 100 countries, this debut exceeded many expectations, even Cabello’s.  

Cabello sings, “My heart is in Havana” and so are all of ours with her chart topping lead single “Havana”. The track was released alongside “OMG”, a song that did not end up making the final album cut due to the unexpected success of Havana; which is currently sat at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart after being released over 4 months ago.

The song opens with a catchy piano presence that carries through the entire song. In this track, Cabello sings of her love for Havana, while delivering impressive ad-libs and fun, enjoyable lyrics. This track is not of lyrical depth, but rather of notable buoyancy.

The powerful opener, “Never Be The Same” blossoms the theme of real human experiences which is woven throughout the entire record. Cabello sings, “Suddenly, I’m a fiend and you’re all I need.” in a light head voice. The track further explains the bond between a certain someone and Cabello which is something that will have an everlasting effect on her. With the pounding bass and the emotion drawn out both sonically and lyrically, this makes this intro a sheer success for the start of the record.

In the second track off this record, “All These Years” we see a rather raw side of the Cuban-Mexican pop star. The song starts off with sharp plucks of a guitar and delves into the feeling of still wanting to be with someone, even after all of the years you’ve been a part from them. The sound of this track is very genuine and there is a sense of sincerity heard within it, with lyrics like “I wish I loved you like I miss you”. Toward the end of the song, Cabello hooks listeners with harmonies that are both exuberant and complex. The harmonic dynamic that is exploited in this track is nothing short of genius.

One of the more amusing tracks on the record “She Loves Control” describes the singers constant craving for a sense of control in absolutely everything, as she sings “She wants it her way, and all it takes is just one taste, You don’t wanna give it up.” Listeners are taken on a tropical sounding rollercoaster as Cabello diverts her lovers control into her own. Although the verses seemed to be pulled back, the chorus packs a punch as she tops the track off with a shout saying, “CONTROL!”

The upbeat, tropical piece, “Inside Out” was definitely a grower. The simplicity of the song, at first listen, can come across as a bit plain and boring. In this track though, Cabello pays tribute to her Mexican roots and her upbringing in Miami, Florida. She sings  “De Miami a Mexico” over a reggaeton-type instrumental. This track was a perfect filler for the record and showcased not only the singer’s humbleness, but her awareness of her roots.

“Consequences”, (one of only two ballads on the record), is undoubtedly a tear-jerker. The stripped down track takes listeners hearts and tears them piece by piece. Every second cuts us deeper into gut wrenching lyrics as she sings,  “Stop the bleeding, lost a little weight because I wasn’t eating.”  With only the piano and Cabello’s voice, the track leaves us feeling lonely which was conspicuously the singers intent.

“Real Friends” yet another track that dives into those sharp plucks of the guitar, similar to “All These Years” explains the hardship of longing for true friends. “All These Years” was the stronger of the two tracks, so including “Real Friends” seemed to be of lesser importance to the album music wise, but thematically, this fits the album perfectly connecting straight to the human experiences aspect of the record.

“Who are you in the dark?” sings Cabello in the 9th track of this record, “In The Dark”. This song describes wanting to know someone for who they are on the inside, and not who they are with their mask on. The lyrics to this track are very thought-out and heart felt, as she sings “I can see you’re hoping you’re not hopeless, so why can’t you show me?” Filled with powerful falsettos and an easy-going, light tempo, “In The Dark” speaks for all of us when it comes to wanting to dig deeper into someone we care deeply for.

Cabello decides to leave listeners on a rather provocative note to close the record, with the track “Into It” singing, “I see a king size bed in the corner we should get into it”. This was a personal favorite, with the relaxed verses and a punchy chorus, Cabello loosens up in this sultry track.

This debut was nothing short of perfection for this on-the-rise pop princess. With the help of her impeccable lyricism and original charm to both her voice and personality, Camila Cabello shows no signs of stopping.