Baby Queen Releases ‘The Yearbook’.
Written by: Nina Fedai
Baby Queen’s new mixtape, The Yearbook, will take you on an emotional roller coaster – a roller coaster that you’ll never wanna get off.
In the intro titled “Baby Kingdom,” Baby Queen paints the picture of an offbeat, rebellious, alt-teenager; a layered character with a complex backstory. This sets the tone for the rest of the mixtape.
As titled, Baby Queen pours her heart out in “Raw Thoughts.” This song feels honest; like a release of pent-up emotions that the protagonist of an indie-film had secretly withheld over a long period of time. It’s catchy, and transparent – personally one of my favourites from her.
If you’re looking for a good post-breakup healing track, then “You Shaped Hole” might speak to you. Unlike most break-up songs where the artist takes on the obvious “fuck you” attitude, Baby Queen is simply sharing her pain, her thought process, and her healing path. I think Baby Queen demonstrates a sense of lyrical maturity and intelligence in the way she avoids making obvious choices. Again, another really strong song.
“American Dream” feels like the face of optimism. Baby Queen and MAY-A, who features on the track, show off their impressive vocal skills in this song. I think their vocal styles pair particularly nicely, not to mention the track is also especially catchy.
Baby Queen also touches on important topics such as social media pressures and societal standards in her song “Narcissist.” As a response to the hypocrisy, negativity, and influence that media can enforce, “Narcissist” provides a raw overview of the anxiety, suffocation, and pressure that young internet users find themselves accustomed to. This song feels genuine, and I think a lot of people will be able to relate to Baby Queen’s perspective.
The best way I can describe “Dover Beach” is by asking you to imagine the opening scene in a movie where the main character just moves to a new town, and we (the audience) watch them gaze into a beach sunset as their car drives around the bend of a road – in the passenger seat, obviously. This song sounds like a new chapter. The feeling you get when you know big changes are coming, and you can’t help but romanticize a future you know nothing about. That’s how this song makes me feel. Baby Queen then switches the vibe completely in “Dover Beach Pt. 2” where she gives fans a slow, more melancholic poem.
In “These Drugs,” Baby Queen addresses struggles with drugs, alcohol, and mental health. Like “Raw Thoughts,” this song feels extremely honest and sincere. What stands out to me most in this song is her lyrics. The genuineness and openness in this song is really refreshing, and I’m sure a lot of people with similar stories are going to find themselves able to resonate with her message. Finally, Baby Queen completes the mixtape with the final tracks “Fake Believe” and “I’m A Mess,” both of which I’d recommend you add to your playlist.
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