R &B singer Halle Bailey released her first solo album “Love? Or Something Like It” on Oct. 24 via Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. The full album features some of Halle’s previous singles and artists: H.E.R., Mariah the Scientist, GloRilla and Chloë.
Starting the album off soft and subtle is the “intro.” Bailey kept it short and sweet, narrating the start of her romance. The mixture of piano, electric guitar and her vocals created an orchestra-type masterpiece. This song is a 10/10 for its optimistic signature.
The fourth track of the album is “his type.” The background correlates with the single “Warrior” by Chloe x Halle played from the movie “A Wrinkle In Time.” These octave levels make a great instrumental. What makes this song special is Bailey describing her love’s positive attributes and security. Meaningful lyrics such as, ‘He makes me feel so secure, he makes me feel I’m on top of the world,’ indicate the song is about a confident woman who has found a partner who treats her well.
“Angel” is one of the most melodic tracks of the album and also one of her previous singles. Although it might not go into the category of romance, this add-on matches the tone of the other songs with her style of soprano singing.
The seventh track, “alone,” featuring Mariah the Scientist, quickly became a fan favorite because their voices went so well together. What makes it even more special is they both genuinely enjoyed working with each other.
“We just kind of understand each other [and] what we were both going through. You know I sent her a few [songs] and this was the one she really resonated with and wanted to be a part of,” Bailey shared.
The 11th track, “in your hands,” is about fighting for the worth and future of a romantic relationship. The verses were written during Bailey’s pregnancy and reflect her promise to always be there for her son Halo. Some of the lyrics are “Whenever you’re down and suffering, I promise that I’ll be your only friend.” The song sounds powerful with its loud background, and it’s nice how it balances Halle’s vocals without overpowering them.
Third to last on the album is “bite your lip.” Overall, the song sounds constructed with only autotune and a light guitar as the beat. It was simple and Bailey could’ve added more rhythm and levels to this. However, her lyrics were worth listening to as she sings about the struggles of young love, especially in the public eye.
After all, the album was extremely beautiful. Adding maternal love to her journey was the cherry on top to emotional depth as well. In conclusion, Bailey did amazing for her first solo album and deserves a 10/10.
