Selena Gomez sits naked, raw and bare in the black-and-white cover of her new album Revival.
The photograph offers insight on what to expect on the former-Disney-star’s second solo project: a surprisingly subtle, sexy and mature album bubbling with electronic and R&B influences.
When looking back at her first solo venture, 2013’s Stars Dance, Gomez fans might have expected more of the same explosive choruses and EDM backing on her latest.
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But Gomez approaches this latest album with an emphasis on emotions and stripped-back production. Revival bubbles with snaps, muted percussion and electronic ticks. Her vocals are whispered and cooed over the nuanced beats, highlighting the stories she is telling.
Gomez takes more control on her musical choices this time around, having production and writing credits on almost all of the tracks. By working with industry veterans like Max Martin and new-age acts like Charli XCX, Gomez has achieved a fresh perspective that rips her away from a pop-princess persona.
Where Miley Cyrus has chosen a path of pot-themed avant garde noise and Demi Lovato has stuck with a mainstream top 40 sound, Gomez decides to find a middleground.
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Within a theme of nakedness and minimalism, Gomez is trying to show the world that she is making music the way she wants to. With her previous albums, the record label influence was clear and direct, perhaps forcing Gomez to stay within the lines of sameness. It’s apparent now she is making this album for herself and making it in the ways she wants to.
For the most part, this freedom allows Gomez to express her feelings and rise above the sexy production to deliver her personal stories.
Singles like “Rise” and the title track “Revival” may appear to focus on love frustration, but also demonstrate self-empowerment. Their strong lyrics are particularly poignant given Gomez’s recent, and publicly misunderstood, battle with lupus.
But Gomez does not abandon pop music’s tradition of love lost ballads altogether; songs like “Same Old Love” and “Sober” are nods to her infamous relationship with Justin Bieber.
But the album does demonstrate a few contrived mishaps. Songs like “Body Heat” and “Good for You” walk a fine line between minimalist and lazy lyrics.
For example, lyrics like “Gonna wear that dress you like, skin tight. / Do my hair up real, real nice,” on the latter fall short. Lyrics like these fail to tell stories with color and imagination.
Many people might see Revival as a breakup album or an expression of a young woman’s highly-publicized life. But despite its flaws, that’s not what the album is about. Gomez is clearly pulling herself away from her Disney image, her relationship and the public perception of the person she is.
Compared to previous over-produced works, this one is all Selena.
3.5/5
