It was just the start for Camila Cabello when she auditioned for the popular singing competition show “The X Factor” in 2012, later going on to lead the girl group “Fifth Harmony” for four years. Cabello decided to leave Fifth Harmony in 2016 to pursue a solo career after having a successful solo endeavor, “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” top the charts.

After Cabello’s abrupt exit from Fifth Harmony, it was unclear if she could shine without her band members on stage beside her. However, Cabello was ready to prove those who doubted her when she released the first single, “Havana,” to promote her debut album, “Camila.”

The lead single “Havana,” featuring rapper Young Thug, took the No. 1 spot on the worldwide iTunes charts. “Havana” impacted pop radio as it was crowned the longest-running song for a solo female artist for the first time since Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” topped the charts back in 2013.

The success of “Havana” made fans anticipate hearing more of her newfound voice, but certain songs in the album sway away from the mature style Cabello was aiming for. For instance, track nine “Inside Out” sounds like it was written for a generic PG movie with an unappealing intro. Despite this, it’s still an upbeat fun anthem to sing along to in the car with some friends.

Track eight “Something’s Gotta Give” is the song where Cabello finally shows the audience her emotions and broken thoughts, as she not so subtly address’ the Fifth Harmony situation. Cabello received hate from fans who resented her for leaving Fifth Harmony, and in the lyrics “I think I’m breaking right now” she reveals how she’s been dealing with the controversy. She makes a statement using her soft and gentle voice rather than using an aggressive tone.

“In The Dark” is one of the best songs on the album next to “Consequences,” “Havana” and “Real Friends.” These tracks all have a similar sound and are the songs that keeps the audience wanting more content from Cabello. “In The Dark” gives the audience early 2000’s pop vibes, as the build up to the chorus is pleasing to listeners’ ears.

“Camila” is rapidly breaking records as the album claimed the No. 1 spot on iTunes in just eight minutes after the release. Overall, the songs on the album target a generic audience of pop radio listeners, which disappointed fans who were led to believe her album would contain woefully-written ballads. Although the album has a great selection of pop songs, Cabello should aim for a higher range in her songs if she wants a bigger audience for her future projects.