Camila Cabello released her fourth album at the end of June, and the media is still deciding whether they like it or not. 

As I perused through reviews on MusicBoard and by different Google users, debating whether to give this album a listen, my head was spinning with the wide range of opinions on C,XOXO. There were as many scathing reviews labeling Cabello a “copycat” as there were people dubbing this album as the best of the year.  

As someone who has Cabello’s Romance in my “Top Ten Albums Of All Time” list, and more than a few Fifth Harmony songs in my car playlist, I felt as though it was my duty to give this album a shot. 

At fourteen songs and thirty-two minutes, this album is a standout amid Cabello’s previous projects. Cabello’s usual music exhibits a more Latin sound, with standard pop lyrics. This work strays from this trend dramatically. With hyperpop and electric instrumentals, as well as club-girl-aesthetic lines, it is very reminiscent of Charli XCX’s BRAT and Troye Sivan’s Something To Give Each Other.  While Cabello aimed to market this album as an abstract, unorthodox piece, it comes across as a knockoff version of the aforementioned works.

The first track, and single, off of this album was “I LUV IT,” featuring Playboi Carti. This song, much like the music video for it, is very random and thrown together. While the verses and chorus are at times cohesive, the ad libs are confusing and often have little to do with the overall message of the song—which still remains unclear. 

The next track, “Chanel No. 5,” provides a split second of hope after the not-so-great previous track. The confident lyrics are catchy, the sampled sounds flow perfectly, and the marketing for the song was stellar. Cabello signed Chanel No.5 perfumes with “C,XOXO” as promo for her album. Not only was that a genius move, but it added a personal flair to both the song and the perfume. 

“pink xoxo”, which served as a fifty-four second interlude, was softer on the ears with the pretty glittery sound effects, but was ultimately unnecessary. However, the last ten seconds did transition nicely into ”HE KNOWS” featuring Lil Nas X. This track is easily one of the best on the album, and certainly the best feature. Cabello’s fast verse contrasts wonderfully with Lil Nas X’s slower one, which transitions wonderfully into a pre-chorus that picks up its tempo to lead flawlessly into the captivating chorus. This song is an easy 10/10, and in my opinion, should have been the lead single.

After this peculiar mix of nightclub-esque songs, “Twentysomethings” feels off-kilter with the acoustic guitar that reverts back to Cabello’s old concepts. If it was on another one of her albums, it could easily be recognized as a great song about young love and the troubles that come with it. On C,XOXO, it instead feels out of place, which distracts from the real strength and vulnerability presented. 

“Dade County Dreaming” featuring JT and Yung Miami is able to encapsulate Cabello’s vision for this album into a two-and-a-half minute piece. With lyrics about Miami and Cuban girls, living in luxury, breaking hearts, and gorgeous skyline views, this song is addictive and adrenaline-filled. 

The second interlude, “koshi xoxo” featuring BLP Kosher, is of BLP Kosher professing his love and appreciation for Cabello’s music, claiming that it got him through some hard times. Though this was definitely unexpected, it was surprisingly heartfelt and a silent staple of the album.

The next two tracks, “HOT UPTOWN” and “Uuugly” both featured Drake, and were not loved by the media or me. The songs themselves were generic in their lyrics and sound, and when paired with the controversy surrounding Drake, they became skippable. 

“DREAM-GIRLS” is of Cabello recounting early 2000s memories of the girls around her. She spends the song hyping up her girls and sings about how they are learning to become women now. While it has the same type of upbeat instrumental as the others, it is much more sincere than anything else on the track list. 

Following this is “305tilidie”, which is simply an audio of Cabello on the beach with her friends. It matches perfectly with the nostalgic feel of “DREAM-GIRLS,” though I think it could’ve just been added to the end of this song as an outro. 

“B.O.A.T.”, “pretty when i cry”, and “June Gloom” are the closers of the album, and all are phenomenal. “B.O.A.T” is an honest account of Cabello trying to move on from her “best of all time” love. The song is her throwing her hands up in defeat, declaring it useless to move on from something that can never again be matched in its greatness. Her voice, full of despair and desperation, is what makes this track so memorable. 

She carries the same energy into “pretty when i cry,” though she transforms her sadness about the situation into a commentary on how pretty she could look even when she feels terrible. This song was an excellent way to transition back into the sunny, positive mood that had reigned earlier in the tracklist. 

“June Gloom,” which rehashes the details of the Shawn Mendes—Cabello’s ex—and Sabrina Carpenter relationship that took over the internet, on the surface appears as a smug poke at Carpenter. The lines “If she’s so amazing why are you on this side of town?” and “If you like her so much why are you here tryna find out?” give the impression that Cabello is proud of the fact that Mendes always runs back to her. 

However, she pointedly calls him “the best, iconic,” which can mean that he is the muse behind “B.O.A.T.” and shines light on the fact that Cabello and Mendes have been dating on-and-off for almost a decade now, always seeming to find their way back to each other. Knowing the story behind this song adds so much more depth and meaning, especially to the last few lines. “Goddamn, fallin’ to the kitchen floor / Goddamn, think we’ve been here before” pretty much sums up the nature of their relationship, especially when Cabello ends the song saying that them rekindling could be a problem, then changes the wording slightly by saying that it’ll always be a problem, since they’ll always rekindle again. 

Though I was skeptical, this album far exceeded my expectations. The highest points being “HE KNOWS,” “Dade County Dreaming,” “B.O.A.T.,” and “June Gloom” with the lowest being both Drake features and “I LUV IT.” I would rate C,XOXO a solid 8/10. I appreciated the overall vibe of it, and it would definitely be something I would listen to on the beach, getting ready, or as hype music before a game. I highly recommend!