Camila Cabello “Familia” Album Review

Ikedichim Chibundu April 8, 2022Last Updated: April 11, 2022

Table of Contents

Familia

Camila Cabello

Genre: Pop
Release Date: 2022-04-08
Explicitness: notExplicit
Track Count: 12
℗ 2022 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment

Familia is as raw as Cabello has ever been. She successfully laces the sounds of her Latina roots into a record that lyrically rips out the pages of her life’s diary — all its heartbreak, drama, and self-doubt — for the entire world to see. From a bird’s-eye view, the record is complicated, confusing almost.

But deep down, it’s a look inside a young artist who is still finding her voice but is willing to take risks to make the music she wants to create. The singer’s third album is full of complex heartbreak and boundary-crossing music.

Album Cover Artwork

Two people are locked in an embrace—two women, one adult, and one child. The adult is Camila, in a long colourful dress, with her head bent to meet that of the smiling little girl in her arms, possibly welcoming Camila home. The scenario expresses the warmth that comes with family and loved ones.

But considering the album title and its healing theme, we can also surmise that what might be going on is Camila reconnecting with her inner child, making peace with the things that have been. The items are, and becoming one with her Latin-American roots, her Familia.

Songs and Features

“Celia,” the first track on Familia, opens with trumpets that evoke her Cuban roots as she sings about a lover who’s “fascinado embobado” with the beauty of her culture and is ready to drink “tequila con Papi.”

As with her hit “Havana,” this album’s Latin-pop banger “Hasta los Dientes” and lead single “Don’t Go Yet” showcase Cabello’s natural ability to make the sounds of her culture accessible to any audience, regardless of language. At times, the stylistic shifts can give the record a bit of a mod-podge feel, but the artist holds it together by keeping us engaged with her story.

Aided by haunting vocals from Willow, “Psycho Freak” offers a welcome twist on the relationship-focused theme of the record; it’s a vulnerable rock and R&B-leaning track that provides a look under Cabello’s emotional scar tissue.

“Everybody says they miss the old me/I been on this ride since I was 15,” she sings. “I don’t blame the girls for how it went down, down.” For the first time since going solo, Cabello shares her truth about her heated exit from the girl group that catapulted her career, Fifth Harmony.

On “La Buena Vida,” with its mariachi instrumentation, Cabello pays a beautiful homage to her Mexican roots. She’s accompanied by the traditional guitar and trumpet sounds, but instead of hitting the notes in Spanish, she sing-raps lyrics about longing for an absent lover completely in English. “And I thought we’d be travelling the world together/Making love in the afternoon/But I’m forgetting what it’s like to wake up next to you.”

“I’m paranoid there’s something I don’t know/Got my demons creepin’ on the low,” she sings on “No Doubt.” And on” Boys Don’t Cry,” she gets even more honest: “Hate it when you/Shut me out/Acting like it’s your shit to figure out.”

Meanwhile, “Quiet,” and its immersive synth whirr and catchy lyrics about automatic sexual chemistry despite the passage of time, will likely do very well with the same pop fans (and radio programmers) who fell for her insta-classic “Never Be the Same.”

Highlights like “No Doubt” and the salsa-tinged “Bam Bam,” with Ed Sheeran, will make her Latin crossover predecessors (read: Ricky Martin and Shakira) proud.

And album closers, the acoustic “Everyone at this Party” and “Lola,” about “a Havana girl” who doesn’t have the resources or the environment to fulfill her dreams, feature storytelling reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s lyrical beginnings.

Tracklist

NO	Title	Time
1	Familia	0:17
2	Celia	2:33
3	psychofreak (feat. WILLOW)	3:21
4	Bam Bam (feat. Ed Sheeran)	3:25
5	La Buena Vida	3:17
6	Quiet	2:43
7	Boys Don’t Cry	3:42
8	Hasta Los Dientes (feat. Maria Becerra)	3:08
9	No Doubt	3:10
10	Don’t Go Yet	2:44
11	Lola (feat. Yotuel)	3:05
12	everyone at this party	2:48

Album Theme

Much of the album is directly inspired by her personal bout with heartache. But, listen closer, and you’ll hear a relatable journey into what it’s like to make a lover a part of your family, only to have to say goodbye to them.

Production Credits

For this record, Camila worked with producers such as Mike Sabath, Ricky Reed, Edgar Barrera and Cheche Alara.

Stream

Listeners Reviews

Sorry I don’t support racists, sad it has come to this
By saturdaydude16
The fact that she received all of that backpack and attempt to make a comeback like she did nothing wrong is despicable. Plus the music isn’t very good. Don’t go yet was one of the worst songs of 2021 and any song you do with Ed Sheeran is automatically repulsive. I honestly don’t see her or this album making any noise once it drops. Such a shame because Camila had such a promising career ahead of her but she decided to throw it all away.

Bam Bam
By Cgbrandy
Love the song Bam Bam

Love it
By Kahuchie
I’m excited to listen what new type of music she has worked on. I love these latin beats. Although I wanted something like her Romance album, I’m still here to support and lover her and her music. <3

From What I have Heard
By B-Rodnduknowit
Great start to her 3rd album… I have heard snippet of a few of her other songs Pyschofreak and Boys Don’t Cry sounds so good!! Can’t wait for what Lola is gonna sound like.

Love it
By mateo bby
A talented queen

rly?
By bribri.607
we want something like self titled, what is this?!!!??!! bring back the good pop music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant
By lolomixer
CAMILA CABELLO IS TALENTED

OMG
By LALISAILOVEYOU
I CANT BELIEVE SHE PUT LA BUENA VIDA ON THE ALBUM!!! THAANK U SO MUCH OMGGGG

Bam bam
By Alexa AD
💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 love it!!!!

❤️
By JMDL1517
Can wait for the album ❤️

so good
By kevinbillion
underrated

Best
By BestBestBest2022
One of the best album 2022

Honestly probably her best album
By eric77490701
My favs are Quiet, Hasta Las Dientes, and BDC

nice
By nbtsjordan
love it

MASTERPIECE
By ggukmila97
This album is so beautiful, I loved it. I love her voice so much and how you can feel the vibes of her latin culture, Camila knows perfectly how to create a good album. All the songs are amazing <3

AMAZING!
By Ace Fanning
Psychofreak and Everyone at this Party are the absolute best! 🙌🏼

It Takes You on a Journey
By Liz Turben
I can see why it has good reviews from the critics. Familia is an album where Camila takes you on a journey. She pretty much pours her heart out into this album. Musically and lyrically Familia is on point! This album will make you cry, laugh and dance because that’s just life.

yes
By elvissterling
one of the best albums of all time. so fresh and joyful to hear. her voice is amazing. such a good writer

SIGUE BAILANDO 💃🏻
By moonledria
Her best album ✨

BEST ALBUM !!!
By Http.humberto
Obsessed!!❤️

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