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Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
A studio album published September 22, 2023 by by Chappell Roan
LANA
Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
An album by SZA released in December 2024
Hit me hard and soft
Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Hit me hard and soft
An studio album published in 2024 by Billie Eilish
Your Favorite Artists’ Favorite Artist
By: Militsa Linker
The home of viral songs “HOT TO GO!”, “Casual”, and “Pink Pony Club”, studio album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” is a look below the drag makeup and avant garde outfits of Chappell Roan. It is truly honest to the realities of being a queer female artist. This exceptional album is made of songs with emotional, relatable, and personal lyrics that will get you crying in bed, mixed with fun songs to jump on your bed and sing into your hairbrush. And Chappell’s talented vocals tie it all together.
Now, most reviews overlook the ballads, and when I first listened to the album, so did I. I don’t really like ballads that much, but when I relistened with my full attention and earbuds on max volume, I really felt the lyrics, heard the pure emotion wavering in her voice, and marveled in the pure talent that was the main focus of her songs. The ballads are now my favorite songs in the album.
I loved the “Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” for its impressive vocals, raw emotional themes, and its ability to truly capture the queer experience.
“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” (TRFMP) is a studio album published September 22, 2023 by Island Records. It was written and performed by Kayleigh Rose Amstutz (a.k.a Chappell Roan), and produced and written by Daniel Nigro. It is overall a pop vocal album, with certain tracks like “After Midnight” being more dance-pop, and “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” bringing in an electro taste. With 14 tracks from “Femininomenon” to “Guilty Pleasure”, the album has a total runtime of 49 minutes and 8 seconds. TRFMP was nominated for best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys, after peaking at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart. You can stream it for free on Spotify Music, YouTube Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Deezer, or a subscription to Apple Music. If you would like to purchase a physical copy, the official Chappell Roan merch store has the album CD for $14.99 or on vinyl for $34.99.
Opening with heart-stopping chords, track number nine “Picture You” is a prime example of Roan’s vocal talent. The vocalization in the bridge is made up of vocal flips, which is one of the hardest skills to master in singing (which I can attest to as a choir and musical theater singer who tried to sing this song). A lot of current artists rely on autotune and on the music to crutch their voice, but Roan’s voices shines above the music. The songs in this album are mostly built up by vocals, while the quieter instrumental merely adds to the experience. You can clearly see Roan’s vocal prowess and training in this album.
What really resonates with this album though is how personal it is to Roan. Most of the songs are not new; they are compiled from single releases which leads to a somewhat “bipolar” track. The oldest, titled “California”, is one of my favorite songs by Roan. She describes her experience as a failed artist, a level of honestly that’s I’ve rarely heard in pop: Thought I’d be cool in California / I’d make you proud / To think I almost had it going / But I let you down. According to Genius Lyrics, “Chappell penned the song following a setback in her career when her 2020 single “Pink Pony Club” didn’t meet expectations, resulting in the label she was signed with at the time dropping her. “ What truly hit me is the admission that her parents’ supportive upbringing gave her an over-optimistic belief in herself, making the crash of disappointment so much worse.
But the emotions aren’t limited to the ballads. While her more upbeat songs are fun to dance to, a deeper listen to the lyrics reveal more vulnerability and insecurity. The famous “HOT TO GO!”, backed up by a drum and bass guitar, has lyrics like I woke up alone staring at my ceiling / I try not to care but it hurts my feelings, showing a lonely soul who is desperate for intimacy to feel a connection.
I think the quiet star of the album is track 10: “Kaleidoscope”. While Roan’s song “Good Luck, Babe!” is more famous, both songs share a similar theme: addressing a crush with comphet (compulsory heterosexuality). One thing both songs do well is its ability to resonate not only with people whose lover is too afraid to accept them, but even reaches the hearts of those who feel they can’t be who they truly are. And while I adore GLB, I actually love “Kaleidoscope” even more due to its ability to break my heart and leave me breathless. The final lyrics, in desperate vocals and an instrumental track that hits you in the heart, sing: every color of the rainbow/ don't be afraid to hold it close/ It's never just a shape alone/ love is a kaleidoscope. In this song, Roan uses a metaphor of a kaleidoscope to grant queer love a spot equal to every other type of love in its ineffability. This is so important because it conveys the vulnerability of queer people. So many queer couples are forced apart because of a world (sometimes an inner self) that won’t accept you for who you are. Kaleidoscope truly captures the tragedy of queer love.
“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” might not be the album for you if you’re looking for a cohesive story as the album is true to its title: you’re often going from a fun pop-y song down to a depressing track. You’re also not likely to get super pumped up, as even the more “high-energy” songs are still very vocally inclined. There are frequent mentions of sexual content, so if you don’t like that you should avoid this album. However, I recommend this album if you’re queer, care about emotional vocals, or love ballads (no matter your age). The best way to listen is alone in your room, putting everything else away and letting the sound and lyrics wash over you. Don’t just listen to me though, so many other famous artists are loving Chappell Roan’s music, including Adele: “I went down a rabbit hole on Monday. All day long. She is spectacular, and it turns out, she’s not just got one song. She’s got, like, seven f---ing brilliant songs. I think she’s absolutely amazing." I think everyone should give this album a listen to discover even more gems of music.
(Image credit: Google)
LANA
SZA ‘s Lana ( SOS Deluxe: Lana)
By: Prathna Rathanak
The long-awaited SZA ‘s Lana ( SOS Deluxe: Lana) creates a universe where self-doubt becomes self-discovery and heartbreak transitions into healing, evoking listeners with its intense emotions and a reflective narrative. From the beginning, Lana draws attention to the opening with “No More Hiding,” which contrasts SOS as SZA embraces authenticity and living fearlessly. The introduction sets the stage for an album that explores self-expression and vulnerability. But does Lana refine her greatest work or is it a continuation of the unfinished story that she has begun in SOS?
The 2022 album SOS is expanded with 15 new tracks, featuring the collaboration of Don Toliver and Kendrick Lamar by SZA’s Lana ( SOS Deluxe: Lana). It was released on December 20, 2024, by Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and RCA Records. Multiple well-known producers held SZA with her iconic track involving Michael Uzowuru, ThankGod4Cody, Carter Lang, Rob Bisel, Lil Yachty, and others. Could be streamed or listened to on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc. Lastly, if you want to purchase a physical copy of the album, it could be ordered online from her website or check out music stores, it could be available prices may vary typically around $21 to $75.
I’ve waited for 2 years for the moment to come. The second LANA was released I instantly started listening to it because I was intrigued by the news, couldn't resist myself. The beats and lyrics open up to SZA's new era as she takes bigger steps in her healing process yet still captivates her iconic raw emotions and storytelling productions. I have realized that this album isn't just a redefined version of SOS but a deeper touch that gives you the full experience excluded from the previous album.
In Lana, the track Kitchen “You know we got a real history, That's no reason I can't choose me” it’s a universal experience for everybody because it’s difficult to move on from your ex, especially those long-term relationships more physically impossible to leave the past behind, so you're trapped in guilt unable to live life on. SZA could have sought revenge and bashed out the pain he inflicted upon her to cause her to suffer severely, instead, she chose to deal with maturity by choosing to be courageous enough to explicitly express her emotions in lyrics instead of hiding so she could let it all out to process it and heal.
The track “ Drive” explores the theme of self-reliance. SZA reflects on her journey as she expresses, “I was up ‘till sunrise, headed to nowhere, Hoping’ that someone's missing’ me somewhere. “These lyrics capture the metaphor of the drive to navigate personal struggles while also straying to seek connection. Through this song, we've seen her growth in seeking help as she perseveres along the process, reviving her identity by learning to love herself after life hit rock bottom over the past years.
Don’t get me wrong, this album is a masterpiece with amazing songs, but I wished SZA could have used the 15 new tracks she added to the album instead of extending SOS, which sort of makes it a long drag out as most of these I’ve been listening to for the past 2 years. Though from her interview about Lana, she said this album is meant to be the deluxe version of SOS, because she feels the need to add new songs that were excluded from 2022, and mentioned that it fits the description of the new era of her life.
In the article written by, Ranger “Crybaby,” SZA further delves into the introspective aspect of her healing journey, confronting her reputation for being overly sensitive and insecure at times; like a “crybaby.” However, instead of trying to escape it, she embraces it by the song’s end. She acknowledges her tendency to be self-destructive and instead of denying her “weaknesses,” she recognizes her tendency to give in to her emotions and own them, viewing her deeper capacity to feel as a strength. This helps back up my point about how SZA chooses to show the flaws of reality by showing raw emotions, mostly on the negative side, often associated with sadness, heartbreak, suffering, and much more but it has a deeper meaning, which makes her listeners resonate and also reflects upon their current life situation.
Elle quoted “he vengeful thoughts (“My Turn” is a poignant ode to revenge as a form of justice) and acts of forgiveness. The album finds SZA unlocking a new superpower: pure self-reliance. By unveiling the beauty and precarity of the healing journey, she proves that it’s well worth the ride—and the wait.” It supports my perceptions of the theme SZA is trying to convey as it's mentioned she chooses to deal with struggles with justice, of course, There's always going to be room for mistakes in life, and there's no reason to be perfect because we all come across these sort of situations either sooner or later. Even though the process of recovering takes a long time it's worth it because you gain the confidence and learn to be yourself with a single or about people think about because end the end of the day just what makes you happy even if it looks weird just let it out don't hold it in play along with the feelings so that you break free.
Teenage girls who love catchy music depicting empowering and raw emotions will find LANA quite enjoyable. It blends with hypnotic lyrics and dreamy melodies as it captures her essence of growing, whether it is friendship, relationships, or figuring out who you are as you navigates her life as a young adult. Lastly, it resonates a lot with listeners, specifically young girls with struggles and the expectations the world has caused them to feel more vulnerable in their daily lives. Those who like upbeat and radio-friendly hits might find this album too slow as it's based on a more poetic side of the music industry infused with a few different genres. Also, for the audience, if they don't like experiential elements, SOS, this album might not be what you expected because it has a twisted plot in each track that they may dislike.
Yes, it's worth every single minute of my time because I believe something unique about LANA makes the music sound much more cohesive and unified blending the different tones with its realistic feelings that SZA uses to describe her current live show maturity over the years since her last album as she learns to to heal and leave the past behind starting the new chapter of life to regain her identity.
SZA Lana, which combines self-discovery, perseverance, and vulnerability, is evidence of her constantly developing artistic abilities. Every song seems to be a reflection of the soul encapsulating the highs and lows of personal development, identity, and love. LANA itself is the experience, not just an album because her intricate narrative and poetic lyricism prove the reason why she is one of the most compelling artists.
(Image Credit: Google)
Hit me hard and soft
Hit me hard and soft
By: Brianna Navarrete
Billie Eilish's most recent album, ‘hit me hard and soft’ consists of 10 beautifully captivating and emotionally vulnerable songs. This album shows how much she's evolved and matured in her creativity and imagination from her earlier work. This album solidifies her position of being one of the greatest female artists of this generation. I was initially very surprised at how good I actually thought it was, since I don't usually like such mainstream music, and I hadn't listened to her in a while, so I forgot how good her music was.
This album is considered bedroom pop, or dark indie/alternative pop which is a more mellow, emotional, laid back version of pop. It was released May 17th, 2024. Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas composed this album together. To listen to the full album on Spotify or apple music, you will need a subscription which can range from $6-$11 a month. You can listen to the full album on youtube for free. The entire album consists of 10 songs and is 43 minutes long.
Throughout the album, each song is very unique which makes it easy to listen to in one sitting. It's not easy to get bored while listening, because each track is something different than the one before. Billie discusses important topics, which helps people relate and makes them want to listen to what she's saying. She talks about insecurities, jealousy, romantic feelings, her personal identity, and so much more. A song in which she talks about her insecurities and learning to love herself is ‘skinny’. In the song ‘the greatest’ she talks about the feelings of unrequited love. Talking about these subjects adds emotion and depth to the album. It helps the listener resonate with her and the music, which keeps them listening. ‘The review’ said, “I was instantly overwhelmed by a flood of emotions” and “It nearly had me in tears” this shows the capability of Billie's music and the impact she has on her listeners. These quotes also show that she has a beautiful and unique way of expressing her emotions through her music that makes listeners feel them as well. Another quote from ‘billboard’ says “she delivers a virtually peerless understanding of how to manipulate her voice to best amplify the storytelling of her lyrics” this emphasizes the power she holds by her incredible voice and captivating lyrics.
I think the people who would like this are people who enjoy her genre of music, as well as people who can resonate with her lyrics. I feel that most people who resonate with her music, and specifically this album are younger people, such as teenagers or young adults. I believe that this playlist can be enjoyed by everyone, but the people I personally see not liking this album would be people who prefer more upbeat, fast-tempo music, considering she only has about 2-3 on this album. I 100% believe this album is worth listening to because from my experience, it was very enjoyable and I know many people can agree. Just by listening to this album alone, you can learn about the topics she talks about, or they can help you if you are going through similar situations as her. Even if you don’t like it, you will know to stay away from this genre of music.
(Image Credit: Google)