With Familia, Camila Cabello’s latest album touches upon the artist’s Latino-Cuban roots. With authentic musical and production values, the album is infused with peppy notes and vocals of Latin pop, reggaeton with occasional hints of classic Latin jazz, predominantly featuring trumpets. A 17-second opening trumpet solo instrumental sets the stage for what is to come, seguing and weaving through an eclectic blend of styles and sounds.
Alongside featuring Cabello’s homegrown sounds, Familia is the artist’s most personal work so far. In an album comprising of twelve tracks, Cabello expresses themes of distance, longing, the emotional aftermath of a romantic fallout. However, these themes are counteracted by the usage of traditional Cuban instruments, signifying the artist looking inward to her traditions, being protected by her family (as suggested by the album’s title) and having a deeper connection to her craft as an escape.
Through the album Camila Cabello also touches upon more subtle and mature themes. Mental health issues such as anxiety, political instability in Cuba and toxic masculinity are addressed, providing the album with a deeper emotional subtext. Cabello achieves a balance, ensuring the album’s darker themes do not overshadow the album’s overall enjoyment and replay value.
With guest appearances by Ed Sheeran and WILLOW, Familia achieves seamless versatility in terms of its subject matter, bilingual vocals and musical styles, serving as a testament to Cabello’s writing and singing talents.
Despite featuring distinct styles, Familia is nonetheless a comprehensive album that emerges as Camila Cabello’s strongest work so far.
Recommended Tracks – Familia, Celia, psychofreak, Bam Bam, La Buena Vida, Boys Don’t Cry, Hasta Los Dientes, No Doubt
Texts of A Pop Culture Buff 