Contrary to popular opinion, C, XOXO warrants a second listen.
It seems that Camila Cabello has been the butt of the joke for quite a while. Her self–titled debut, a delightful blend of Latin music and modern pop, was reduced only to its biggest hit, “Havana.” Romance, Cabello’s second record, was overshadowed by her IRL PR romance with Shawn Mendes, leaving the music in the dust. Familia was a last–ditch effort to portray authenticity and highlight her roots, only for it to be her worst–performing album at the time. X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, readily mocks her try–hard attitude, her old controversial Tumblr posts, and “I’ll be home for quismois” (even Street is guilty of this). It seems that there’s nothing the singer can do to appease the public.
The general dismissive reception carried over to Cabello’s blonde refresh. Immediately after the release of “I LUV IT,” X ripped her apart for creating a “Charli xcx copy” and called the shift in her image “manufactured.” Even Charli took a jab at Cabello, lip–syncing along to the sonically similar “I Got It” as a dig against Cabello’s hyperpop creation (although Charli later confessed it was a marketing ploy for BRAT). Nonetheless, the damage is done. Cabello’s new album was going to be a rip–off of the young girl from Essex, a desperate effort to become relevant again at the expense of artistry and authenticity.
At least that’s what critics may want you to believe. What I’m here to do is implore any music aficionados to give this album the chance it deserves. Under all the artifice and the blond party–girl aesthetic lies a Cabello that achieves the genuineness that her last two albums attempted. While the final output appears to lack cohesion, C, XOXO is a candid letter to her Miami roots, a fascinating pop record born free from the expectations of a scathing crowd.
So, let’s begin with the claims that C, XOXO is an alleged Charli xcx copy. It’s easy to dismiss the repetitive “I LUV IT” as lazy and uninspired, but Cabello and her team make clear and deliberate musical choices that make this tune undeniably catchy. The production is hyperpop–inspired, but the energetic synthetic quality of the synths hints at the beginning of a chaotic fever dream that promises you the night of your life. The Gucci Mane sample in the post–chorus is such a bizarre choice, but somehow pays off by introducing something dynamic and contrasting to Cabello’s voice. It is true, however, that Cabello’s presence is far too fleeting on this short track, and Playboy Carti’s feature adds little substance to what could’ve been a banger solo.
“I LUV IT” ended up being a red herring in what’s mostly an R&B–inspired pop album. C, XOXO is full of similar head–scratching musical choices for which Cabello’s vision can be realized only once you give it a listen. The frankly poorly–timed Drake collaboration “HOT UPTOWN” is unironically one of the project’s strongest songs. Their chemistry works because neither of the two slacks off in their parts. The fast–paced instrumental, the lyrical matter of wanting to rekindle a relationship, and well–timed entrances and harmonies create an addicting duet. Both artists sound comfortable in this hybrid Latin–infused rap song, and it’s a shame that this duet was released after Drizzy’s beef with Kendrick Lamar. Otherwise, I’d happily bet this could’ve been one of the most successful, albeit left–field, collaborations of the year.
So too is the last–ever City Girls contribution, “Dade County Dreaming.” The song is more vibe than substance, with JT, Yung Miami, and Cabello talking about shaking ass and getting nails done in South Beach under a thumping hip–hop beat. But man, does the trio make “C and City Girls out shoppin’” sound like a good time, making this romanticized version of the girls hanging out in their hometown feel real and fun. The artifice is authentic in itself, and Cabello’s vision is singular and focused.
But the strangest choice of all in this album appears when you hear “We at the hotel, motel, Holiday Inn” on the track “B.O.A.T.” In this tender, reflective ballad, Cabello reflects on a relationship after a messy breakup, likely alluding to former beau Shawn Mendes. Regardless, hearing “And just when I think I / Could fall in love without you, I forget why I try” followed by the most random Pitbull sample ever, “Hotel Room Service,” takes you out of the song immediately. It’s a surreal experience—almost baffling—but when placed in the context of the album, things start to click.
C, XOXO is the sad party girl’s album. It’s Cabello’s dedication to vibrant Miami nightlife, a journey that begins with the chaotic and energetic “I LUV IT” but ends with the reflective, self–deprecative “B.O.A.T.” and “June Gloom,” the latter of which is another highlight from this diverse album. Both songs near the end encapsulate the morning after, the unavoidable post–hangover clarity that makes you question everything that matters to you.
This album screams Miami in its sonic DNA, from the diverse genres explored, the City Girls collaboration and references to the 305 (the “305tilidie” interlude), and even Mr. Worldwide himself. Cabello has always strived to be a confessional songwriter, but “B.O.A.T” and “June Gloom” aren’t just another ballad that borders on cheesy and cliché: They’re candid snapshots of the stark reality one faces when the sun rises, even after having the night of their life.
It is, however, difficult to overlook C, XOXO’s flaws. The lack of a defined genre is both its strength and its weakness, its mood switching frequently from self–indulgent to self–critical. Most of the interludes of this project add little, if nothing, to the quality of the project, even if the PinkPantheress cameo (“pink xoxo”) is nice and fleeting. Perhaps they’re meant as the bathroom breaks for when you have one too many mojitos, but they serve no more than that. In fact, an entire interlude for Drake alone (“Uuugly”)—once supposed to be the outro for “HOT UPTOWN”—feels completely out of place. And it’s possible that the blond refresh and abrupt image change were too much for people to stomach. Cabello went from this try–hard, all–or–nothing pop songstress to an experimental, non–cohesive provocateur, a shift that was too sudden for people to accept.
I’m not here to convince you that C, XOXO is beautifully written. Not all love letters are Shakespearean masterpieces, but the best ones are authentic in their messiness. Cabello, deliberately or not, didn’t make this album to succeed on the charts (and, in fact, this has overtaken Familia as her worst–performing album). Instead, she made a project that reevaluates her status as a singer and adds a brand–new facet to a person who has constantly been reduced to one dimension on X.
