Album Preview: Baby Queen - Quarter Life Crisis

Baby Queen’s debut album Quarter Life Crisis has finally arrived and proves to be a marker of how far the rising anti-popstar has elevated her craft. Elaborating on the album, Baby Queen (Bella Latham) says “This album tells the story of my journey through my early 20s – leaving my childhood and my adolescence behind but never really losing my childlike wonder and never quite growing up”. Quarter Life Crisis is entirely authentic and brilliantly glitzy, standing as her most sonically confident body of work.

Latham is open and introspective on this album in a way which feels more deeply personal than anything she has released before.

‘We Can Be Anything’ opens the album with airy synths and a thumping drum beat as Latham sings enchantingly about human existence and what it means to be free. ‘Kid Genius’ follows, beginning with an irresistible guitar riff and punchy drums. Here, Latham details her apathy for the online world, a theme which is prevalent in her prior work. Track three is the first single off the album, ‘Dream Girl’, a glittering song where Latham is candid about her sexuality. Latham is open and introspective on this album in a way which feels more deeply personal than anything she has released before.

‘I Can’t Get My Sh*t Together’ is as chaotic and honest as its title. The chorus is breathless and unrelenting, led by Latham’s vocals and the musical arrangements following suit. This track manages to feel perfectly unique and still quintessentially ‘Baby Queen’. A sparkling melody runs through track five, ‘Love Killer’ as Latham shares her apathy for romance. The song is perfectly bitter, catchy and comical with many humorous moments cropping up in her lyricism. From the beginning of her career, Latham has been applauded for her witty and intellectual song-writing and Quarter Life Crisis is a strong indicator of her lyrical abilities.

In her previous EPs, Latham has shied away from ballads yet ‘Grow Up’ and ‘Obvious’ are two shining moments on the album. The tracks present listeners a different side to Baby Queen as she offers a sense of tenderness and vulnerability in the midst of shimmering anti-pop anthems. These moments on the album also give the singer the opportunity to showcase her strong vocals, sounding powerful and impassioned in a way we haven’t heard before.

‘Quarter Life Crisis’ is a staple Baby Queen tune, infectious hooks paired with perfectly nihilist lyrics is what the singer-songwriter does best

‘Quarter Life Crisis’, is the perfect title track for the album, embodying the themes of existentialism and the all-consuming nature of growing up which feature heavily throughout the record. This acts as a great half-way point and really ties the album together. ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ is a staple Baby Queen tune, infectious hooks paired with perfectly nihilist lyrics is what the singer-songwriter does best. ‘Die Alone’ follows, opening with just a piano part and Latham’s vocals as she ponders over romance and loneliness. As the track builds, Latham manages to connect with listeners through her amusingly relatable lyrics as she shares her experiences with love.

Another single from the album is up next, ‘23’, a track which follows the singer’s journey with self-discovery and acceptance. Whilst sonically different to the rest of the album, the track is a powerful one, Latham’s story-telling is effective as she delivers a commentary on her sexuality. ‘Every Time I Get High’ sits on the back end of the album but should not be overlooked. The song offers an edgier sound and is one of the more guitar-heavy tracks on the album. The verses are powered by nursery rhyme-esque melody which is reminiscent of the title track. Here, Latham navigates drug-induced confidence and the blissful unawareness which comes with a high.

Closing the record is the bittersweet ‘A Letter To Myself at 17’, which lets listeners into Latham’s mind as she gives her younger self advice.

Closing the record is the bittersweet ‘A Letter To Myself at 17’, which lets listeners into Latham’s mind as she gives her younger self advice. The track follows an acoustic guitar pattern and a simple melody which becomes increasingly more decorated as it goes on. The record ends with Latham gently singing, ‘Try to be happy / You might be if only you knew / That your wildest dreams came true.’, a perfect ending note for a flawless debut album.

This record is a strong, cohesive debut release and demonstrates how Baby Queen has elevated her sound in the past few years without losing the confident, sharp-tongued flare which keeps listeners coming back for more. Quarter Life Crisis is an existential pop daydream and a showcase of poetic lyricism, delicious melodies and superstar talent.