0
Having waited a lifetime to release her debut album, Madison Beer is finally unleashing both her artistic vision and hard truths into the world. Since her first embrace with stardom back in 2012, the New York-born singer-songwriter has caught the attention of Justin Bieber, which catapulted her to fame, navigated the ups and downs of the music industry and handled an intense social media streak, all of which built her an incredibly loyal fanbase. Fast forward to the release of her hit single ‘Home With You’ in 2018, which saw moderate success, Beer stated that any releases prior were unauthentically her and an inaccurate representation of her desired artistry.
Finally taking the reigns of her career, her debut album, ‘Life Support’, is born and it’s anything but surface-level. Giving a raw and authentic view of her life, the 21-year-old displays her battles, following her diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, with brutal honesty and shares how she’s now more in touch with her emotions due to such experiences. Released nine years to the day of her first YouTube post, Beer’s debut is a surprisingly mature, eclectic and smart pop record that kept her alive during tough mental states.
Setting the tone for what’s to follow, the album’s opener, ‘The Beginning’, shows off Beer’s haunting yet angelic vocals which are almost siren-like before heading directly into ‘Good in Goodbye’, an R&B-inspired track that waves goodbye to a toxic lover. Following the spooky theme of the opener with its haunting introduction, the track feels empowering through its lyrics as Beer expresses how easy it is to drop toxic people from your life: “Cause you’re toxic boy / I ain’t even gotta try to find the g-o-o-d in goodbye.”
Following the theme of a toxic relationship, Beer continues the confident attitude in ‘Blue’, a song which explores how gaining courage is all it takes. The synth-heavy track leans heavier into alt-pop as the simple but effective lyrics reaffirm that confident streak; it’s a single refrain that keeps that confidence alive: “I know when to run / When my makeup does.”
Beer casts a wide net of influences that create her sound (Ariana Grande and Rhianna), but also some alternative and classical nuances that give Beer her own individuality. No clearer are those influences evident than on the transition from the ethereal orchestral ballad ‘Default’ into the bass-heavy ‘Follow The White Rabbit’. Building into an expansive wall of sound, the compelling and unpredictable tracks juxtapose each other and the latter is full of trippy, fuzz-tone bass with staggered starts that create a whole new dimension within the record.
It’s Beer’s stark honesty that carries the record. Switching the tone of empowerment to one of vulnerability, ‘Stay Numb And Carry On’ describes the feeling of past traumas making you numb. The slick, restrained track falls right in the tight grove of the backbeat as Beer sings about letting go of such bitterness in an emotionless and numb state: “Stay numb and carry on / Too young to hate someone / Truth is, it was never love / Your fault if you thought it was.”
Falling closer to a Grande-infused R&B ballad, the ethereal tune ‘Effortlessly’ showcases the same stark level of honesty as ‘Stay Numb And Carry On’. The brutal track, which distinguishes Beer from her more anthemic ones with a well-rounded sound, touches on the first experiences of taking medication for mental health purposes. Beer’s impressive vocal range, going from a whisper to a soft, silky register, highlights the vulnerability of the track as she refers to her medication as a “little fix-it-all.”
With clear and persistent production values throughout the record alongside the stories being told, ‘Life Support’ is the perfect debut for the rising pop star. Rooted in authenticity, ‘Life Support’ showcases moments of vulnerability coupled with resilience and truly allows Beer to open up about her struggles on a level no one could have imagined. The long-awaited album wasn’t aggressively sad but it is ambitious yet shallow; is seemingly intent on proving the seriousness behind Beer’s personal experiences. Resonating with many due to its raw messages, ‘Life Support’ shows that there are more great things to expect from Madison Beer.
Madison Beer’s debut album ‘Life Support’ is out now.
4/5