Album Review: Mabel - About Last Night

About Last Night follows chart-topping singer Mabel’s emotional journey towards self-love and self-reckoning after a night out. The album’s early influence came from lockdown and how the singer was inspired by shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race and Pose which birthed the 13 tracks that we are seeing today. The album draws on a number of genres including house, disco, pop and R&B.

The album first begins with an emotional introduction ‘About Last Night…’ with the singer pouring her heart out towards her lover before reminiscing the events of the previous night before. The singer told Apple Music “I wanted the album to have this gorgeous cinematic intro because it’s almost the opposite of the messy house party that’s to come. I’m picturing people walking into that space before the music and the madness begins.”

Then the singer jumps into the events of the night before, starting with the raucous ‘Animal’ which oozes confidence and fun.

Then the singer jumps into the events of the night before, starting with the raucous ‘Animal’ which oozes confidence and fun. The singer explains the track to Apple Music, demystifying anything before the audience brings up a different side to the singer. “I’ve been underestimated a lot as an artist, but people have judged me on about 20% of what I’m capable of. So on ‘Animal’, I’m really saying: ‘You thought I was this person? You have no idea.’”

The next track ‘Let Them Know’ is the singer’s personal tribute to ‘voguing’ and drag culture and exudes the same vibe of confidence as ‘Animal’ does but even better. The strong beats paired with the singer’s vocals are sure to make you dance around your room and make you feel like you have won the lottery.

However, the album also has some quieter, more serene moments. In ‘Take Your Name’, the singer combines her raw, vulnerable vocals, reminiscent of Ariana Grande, with guitar strings. ‘I was ready to take your name’ showcases the vulnerability the singer was able to show towards her audience and was not afraid of the consequences of this. The singer tells Apple Music “At this point in the party, I’ve gone from having a great time on the dance floor to suddenly seeing everyone else fade away and feeling so alone.”

About Last Night is a great album to listen to if you have been thinking about that party you went to and recollecting all the memories.

‘Crying on the Dance Floor’ is Mabel’s track telling her friend, who has recently gone through heartbreak, to stand up and show the world that she is okay. ‘Ain’t no crying on the dancefloor / Dance for me, dance’ shows how the singer wanted an element of cheesiness on the album lyrically but wanted the song to resonate with the audience, whether they are going through heartbreak or not. She tells Apple Music “It’s kind of cheesy, but I love that about it. I think there’s a moment on every album for cheese.”

Overall, I found the album to be very reminiscent of life before lockdown. Though there were some songs where I thought the singer could do better, the album was a great listen. About Last Night is a great album to listen to if you have been thinking about that party you went to and recollecting all the memories.