After taking a small hiatus, singer and songwriter Khalid made a comeback by introducing his sophomore album “Free Spirit.”
This 17-track album is composed of various soulful, R&B-inspired ballads that show Khalid’s growth from his inaugural album, “American Teen.” The album features artists like John Mayer and Safe. However, many of the songs are solely performed by Khalid.
The RCA records artist initially made his break in the industry with his first single “Location.” This song reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. In March of 2017, he released his debut album, “American Teen.” Khalid was 17 years old at this time.
Compared to his first album, “Free Spirit” draws his audience into the mind of Khalid as a man. “Let’s just say … this album is going to show a lot of growth,” Khalid said in a Twitter post.
Overall, the album describes how the artist maneuvers through manhood. Each song tells its own story about friendship, love, and finding yourself. As Khalid transitions into adulthood he writes songs based on his experiences in this process.
In the song “Hundred,” the artist sings about how he’ll keep moving regardless of what’s going on around him. “When I’m in the mix of everything, I’m on autopilot and I can’t stop,” he said in an interview with Apple Music. This song is one of the more up-tempo songs on the album. The beat and melody are almost similar to that of Katy Perry’s popular hit, “Last Friday Night.”
Of the 17-song track list, the songs “Better,” “Talk” and “Right Back” stand out the most. These songs have more up-beat melodies and R&B-inspiration.
Compared to other soulful, R&B albums today, “Free-Spirit” is more geared towards millennials because of its dramatic, growing lyrics.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give this album a solid 7. The album gives off very positive vibes. It made me smile, dance and laugh. Although many of the songs are slower, the lyrics are very relatable and easy to understand.
On the downside, because the album contained many slow-tempo, short tunes that saddens the flow of the album. I would have preferred more fast-paced songs to jam out to in the car or at a party. Unfortunately, Khalid didn’t deliver that.
In all, Khalid’s artistry in this second album shows his maturation over the past three years. “Free Spirit” has set Khalid on a great path to becoming a music legend.