Album Title: Bewitched
Genre: Jazz pop, R&B
Rating: A+
Though some have not heard of the newly successful artist, Laufey has quickly become a worldwide sensation and inspiration to the music industry. Influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, jazz and traditional pop, the singer’s music has surprisingly become the most popular among teenage girls. Her new album “Bewitched” masterfully bridges old styles of music with contemporary ones and has both broken and mended the hearts of many.
Track 1: “Dreamer”
“Dreamer”, the first song on the album, explores Laufey’s desire to escape reality and to live in a world of her own. She longs to be far away from the disappointment and heartache caused by casual dating and love, which can be very relatable for teens. Waiting for the right person to treat her right, she begins to develop a resilient heart, calling it a ”porcelain heart”. She is committed to shielding her dreaming spirit from destruction, even if it means becoming numb to the idea of romantic affection.
Laufey is determined to keep the dreamer within her alive, and asserts that no man will ever have the power to take it away from her. This provides her listeners with a sense of self-empowerment. Through her adept word choice, she sends a strong and important message of independence. By showing her fans that happiness can be found within themselves and that they do not need men to keep them happy, she helps them develop confidence and self-love. Laufey’s music resonates deeply with the teenage demographic by providing them universal life lessons and a shoulder to cry on.
“Laufey’s new album was amazing. Her lyrics and instrumentals went along so well together, and I’m so glad that she incorporated jazz into her songs. It makes her a really unique artist, and other musicians should be taking inspiration from her,” sophomore Edwin Guess said.
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Despite her somber lyrics, the album remains upbeat and optimistic. Some songs may even prompt listeners to get up and dance. It is not overly produced, though, as there are no acoustics or echo chamber effects to get in the way of the music itself.
“This album is a mix of many genres, but it also has meaningful lyrics that I can relate to. When it first came out, I had only listened to a couple songs of her’s, but now I have this album on repeat. She brings back past styles of music that a lot of new artists have just ignored. This makes her music really special and different from any other popular singer today,” sophomore Lucia Astorga said.
Track 9: “Promise”
“Promise” encapsulates the pain of love, distance and longing for someone unattainable. Describing the balance between personal space and desire through her lyrics, this is one of Laufey’s best written songs. Initially, it expresses her commitment to creating distance, as she makes a promise to herself to step away from a negative relationship.
However, as the song progresses she realizes the consequences of stepping away, which causes her to lose her self-restraint. Her lyrical choices, particularly the hard hitting line, “No matter how long I resist temptation I will always lose”, reflect this. Her inner conflict is made painfully relatable, allowing everyone who has experienced the same thing to see themselves in her. Her vocals are accompanied by a simple piano, bass and drum trio, which significantly add to the vulnerability of the song. Her sweet, melodic voice is crystal clear as it hits the high notes smoothly, leaving her listeners enchanted and wanting more.
For Laufey, the result always remains the same, and this seems to be unavoidable for her. Having no solution to her problem of seeking eternal love, she feels the pull of her emotions dragging her towards the past. By the end of the song, she confesses to calling the person she was trying to let go of, giving in once again to the magnetic pull of love. The song lyrics work together to send a message to her listeners to follow their hearts. According to her, even when love does not seem to work out, there is a way to fix things. This seems to inspire a feeling of hope in those who may have given up on romance.
“I really love the new album especially because it’s unlike what other pop artists are doing now. She included an orchestra in one of the new songs, which I really like, and it’s not something that many other singers are doing. She’s taking a risk by being so different, but this album is definitely going to be super important for her career and her future in music,” sophomore Adriana Garcia said.
Track 4: “Must Be Love”
“Must be love” presents the feeling of being deeply in love. As Laufey starts to realize she has fallen for someone, she notices the change in her perception of the world, of life and of those around her. Overwhelmed by this feeling of love and desire, she is unable to think clearly, and time seems to start moving slower and slower. This song captures falling in love as being a transformative process which leads to a newfound happiness and vulnerability. By expressing the joy of her romance through her slow, soul-searching music, she makes others want to fall in love as well.
“I thought the album was amazing and super well done. The instrumentals she included gave the songs an angelic feeling. It was really different from the other music that I listen to, but it was really beautiful and meaningful. The album stood out from her other projects, and the lyrics made it very relatable,” sophomore David Santamaria said.
Though some may think that the album becomes repetitive due to its constant mention of love, each song takes a different approach to what falling in love encompasses. Laufey’s lyrics, vocal delivery and production all work hand in hand to give her listeners an interesting, uplifting album. By revealing her true emotions and personal struggles through her music, she connects with her fans, usually teenage girls waiting for their first romance. Her singing style may be reminiscent of popular singers of the 1950’s, but it never loses its ability to attract hopeless romantics.
