This week Camila Cabello released her third studio album Familia, a bilingual journey through life, love, and conflicting feelings.
We’ve been getting glimpses of Familia since Camila released her single “Don’t Go Yet” last summer along with a music video that was full of color and dance wrapped up in a fabulous dinner party scene straight out of Vogue. A celebration of her Cuban-Mexican heritage and music that she has repeatedly shared she wants to express joy, “Don’t Go Yet” has had us up and dancing from on Camila single to the next right up to the release of this long-awaited album.
Her upbeat breakup anthem and Ed Sheeran collaboration “Bam Bam” followed as the second single on the album just last month continuing to set the tone for the album—largely celebratory. Even though there are a lot of lyrics that allude to heartbreak—like “I can go off the memories, uh/ Starting to feel like a memory, uh” on “La Buena Vida” and “Everyone at this party isn’t you / you’re the only one I wanna run into” on “Everyone at this Party”—the Latin pop influences in the album help Camila show us the bright side in almost every song.
In an Instagram post celebrating her appearance on The Today Show Tuesday, Camila said of the album, “Nothing is more FAMILIA than listening to this album with your friends, whether it be online or in person, let this album help you find community, find a buddy even if on the internet. That would make me the happiest 🥰🥰🥰🥰”
Familia isn’t just love, though. There’s a lot of Camila’s self-exploration here, too. “Psychofreak” is an angsty look at the pressures of fame and the way it can separate a star from reality featuring WILLOW. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get so dark,” Camila sings. “Maybe I’m an alien, Earth is hard.” “Pyschofreak” feels like an aged-up take on Olivia Rodrigo’s “brutal.”
Camila returns to her roots in her all-Spanish tracks “Celia,” a love song named for Cuban-American singer Celia Cruz and featuring her cousin Caro, “Hasta Los Dientes” (in English, “To The Teeth”) featuring Argentine singer Maria Becerra. The album’s 11th track “Lola” is inspired by the San Isidro movement in Cuba, and of course “Don’t Go Yet” brings Camila’s many influences together in its collage of talent, personality, and movement.
An album that can take you from the dance floor to your journal, Familia is an album with a lot to love and explore. We’re sure to be finding new moments to obsess over in many many repeat listening sessions.
Listen to the full album below!
