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My thoughts on Planet Her

Doja Cat’s Planet Her is a dreamy ode to female desire.

Scrolling through the album, I was shocked to see Kiss Me More as the final song. As much as I loved the single, I couldn’t help but question the placement of the song. I feel like the way an artist closes an album is just as important as how they open it. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Kiss Me More perfectly sums up what planet her is essentially about: The power of the divine feminine and female desire.

Doja’s body of work encapsulates womanhood: Owning your sexuality and knowing the power it holds. Doja Cat heavily discusses vulnerability and desire midway through the album. There are a couple songs on the album that really talk about how isolating it is when one’s needs aren’t met in a relationship (Alone & Been Like This.)

Planet Her is sonically more cohesive than Hot Pink. Doja Flirted more with different genres and styles compared to her latest body of work, Planet Her. The only similarities that I heard between Hot Pink and Planet Her is that Doja switched her flow to each song accordingly, from an afrobeat vibe in Woman to a more Nicki inspired tone in Get into it (yuh).

The most intriguing thing about Doja is that she knows how to keep the audience entertained, her ability to add life to a track-- whether she is singing or rapping-- is what keeps the world hooked. Doja Cat knows how to make us come back for more time and time again because she keeps us on our toes, we never know what she’s gonna do on the next single or feature; and that's what makes us insatiable for more.

Albeit the consistency, the lyrics and the content of each song aren’t. What I mean by this, is that half-way through the album we start getting deeper lyrics. I don’t think the overall subject of the songs change, we are still getting themes of sexuality, desire, power, and even heartbreak; just in different tones. Doja does a stellar job at reminding us that lyrics don’t always have to be so serious, they can be both clever and poetic. I personally enjoy when she does play on words like on I don't do drugs when Ariana sings “Got me purring like I'm Doja Cat.” Doja is the embodiment of duality; one minute she’s blithe and lively, and intense and profound the next.

I think it’s worth mentioning how the features matched the energy of the album. Each artist featured either completely contrasted Doja or complemented her extremely well. Not one feature was out of place. I especially enjoyed Options, and thought that Jid matched Doja’s energy perfectly. Ariana Grande added an element of sexiness to the track, which caught me off guard because I thought it would have been the complete opposite. Doja’s part is way sweeter and flirtier. As for SZA’s feature, she brought a certain depth to Kiss Me More. I found Doja’s verses to be more light-hearted and playful. SZA really digs deep and sings about what it feels like to be stuck in a relationship that lacks an emotional bond. I would even dare to say that her feature makes the meaning of the song go a step further from what it actually is.

The features were one of my favorite elements of the album, I could write about them forever.

Planet Her has to be one of the best albums I've heard in the past couple of years. I didn’t feel like anything was missing, as I usually am left wanting more out of an album after finishing it. Each song is just as good--if not better than the last, even my least favorite on the album is still a solid song. It is so beautiful to listen to an artist’s body of work and just KNOW that they put their all into it. Album’s like Planet Her are the ones that absolutely reignite your love for music just because you know the artist behind the record is just as in love with music as you are.

Planet Her really makes me excited for what she has planned next, whether it’s more visuals, singles, features, etc. I know, like we all know, that she will body the hell out of it.

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“Time Fly” Trying to understand a person came to me, thanking me for following and enjoying the posts, but I am still one more person who I am, but one thing she passed on to me and changed my dawn by giving me a link to a song that for me has become by sculpting a great meaning, but for me sometimes life is crazy we will never know what will happen a word, music, video can change a human’s head a lot.

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TAG!

Rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to! put your favorite playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, then tag 10 people. no skipping!

all me - kehlani feat. keyshia Cole

just like magic- ariana grande

cool people - chloe x halle

talk - khalid

i just cant stop loving you - michael jackson

p*$$y fairy (otw) - jhene aiko

new love - victoria monet

what you know bout love - pop smoke

latch - disclousre feat. sam smith

ribs - lorde

EDIT: I do not have anybody to tag since I am a new blog, but I felt like this would be fun to do! Feel free to comment or reblog!

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“R&B is still not nearly as big as hip-hop: It has a market share of 7.43% of overall album consumption units so far in 2020, compared with 19.17% for hip-hop, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Yet it’s growing — by 4.64% in market share compared with this time last year. (Hip-hop’s market share grew less than 1% in the same period.) And as the genre catches up commercially, it’s having a renaissance artistically — one that’s largely powered by female singer-songwriters who are reimagining and reinterpreting its sounds for a new generation of listeners. Of the 14 releases that have reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart in 2020, nine of them have been from women.”

CHECK OUT THE COVER STORY: HERE

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Ariana grande photoshoot for #Positions

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A Sex Album Ariana Grande Style

Ariana Grande put out a lighthearted album contrasted to her last record, thank u next. I feel like writing a happy and bubbly album can be just as therapeutic as writing a melancholic album with profound lyrics. positions reminds me of a diary, each entry just as personal as the last, spilling every intimate detail from infatuation to the insecurities felt when things heat up with somebody new. This record, in a way, reminds me of sweetener because of how flirty and fun it is. Just reading the track list without listening to the album, it’s easy to assume that this is purely just a sex album, however in my opinion, it is so much more than that.  

The ability to express and accept vulnerability is a recurring theme in positions.

Ariana doesn’t have to do much to a song for it to be a hit like she did in the past. Songs with simple harmonies and instrumentals, gives the listener a chance to slow down and vibe, plus it gives Ariana the opportunity to play with the vocals more during the live version. One of my favorite tracks on this record, “my hair” is a perfect example of a simple, yet outstanding song. The whistle tones in the background mesh well with the chill beat, and even takes it a step further and sings lyrics while maintaining a perfect whistle register. Ariana continues to give 90’s powerhouse songs, especially with “nasty.” Again, the whistle notes in the beginning are reminiscent of what female vocalists back in the day would give us. This music style just simply fits Ariana Grande like a glove.

I simply do not need to talk about motive. It is perfect, no debating over here.

In my honest opinion, each track was spectacular in their very own ways, with different subjects covered. “off the table,” one of the slower ballads on the albums, and the only heartbreaking one, perfectly described what it feels like to have to move on after loss. Whether it was a death or a heartbreak, moving on with a new person is strange because you were used to a whole other person, and loved them for what made them—them. Having to do that with somebody else while they know that they’re not the last person is a tricky thing to have to go through as a couple. Ariana acknowledges that this is a new person, and that they have a whole different personality than the last lover.  

I am not sure if it’s the arianator in me, but I noticed so many connections in positions and thank u, next. Particularly with “six thirty” and “bloodline,” the differences in those two songs really show us the growth and change Ariana went through. “six thirty” speaks about the mundane aspects of a relationship, and the dynamic between significant others. It’s an honest account of the insecurities that exist within a relationship, something that she would have to open herself up to again. Unlike in “bloodline,” there was no indication of being in a place where she could fully commit to anybody, and just wanted to escape her sadness with someone else. In “off the table” she even questions if she’s ready to commit when she sings “Not yet healed already, should I be going too steady?”

The final track, a ballad, starts off with a stunning orchestra and beautifully talks about being loved so well and so right, that you want to love yourself too. I was reminded of how hard it is to let yourself be loved in the way you need— the way you deserve. This is a common dilemma we  face after we step into the healthy relationship after the shitty one. How do we accept something so real when we’ve been given toxicity? Ariana makes sure that we can hear the raw talent she possesses, going back to my point of this being an album packed with powerhouse vocals. Each note sung touches you in a way where you can't help but become emotional. For some reason, I genuinely felt love and every emotion associated with it. “pov” has been on repeat since the album was put out.  

Positions is easily one of her best albums to date, a perfect follow up to the heartbreak and pain she’s endured. I feel like we’ve seen her healing journey, and in many ways, we were healing with her. I remember being at my lowest point and listening to sweetener and telling myself that there will be an end to my pain, and listening to thank u, next while I was going through the worst break up of my life. Ariana’s versatility is what makes this album so great, and although she experiments with different genres, she still manages to give it her own flair. I am excited to see what else she’ll bring to the table, and if my hunch is correct, it will be sooner than we think. Ariana spoils us so much with new projects and music, you can tell that this is her passion, what she was put here to do.  

DISCLAIMER: This post would be too long if I went over each individual song, so I am going to be talking to the ones that stood out to me the most. I’ll be making a separate post dedicated to some individual songs that I love from positions.  Please let me know which song is your fave!

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We’re not asking for much.

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chloe x halle photographed by daria kobayashi ritch for blanc magazine

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Hit Different

“Hit Different” Is a sonically mellow piece that denotes how it feels when we meet our so-called “other half.” Ty Dolla$ign kicks the song off with the chorus. Any song featuring Ty is a hit in the making, he always takes a song to the next level. Not acknowledging his contributions (whether big or small) would be disrespectful to a certain degree. There’s no doubt that he possesses an immense amount of talent, and if I can be frank, he deserves way more recognition for his solo projects than he is currently being given.

Now that I got my fan girl moment for Ty Dolla$ign out of my system, let me get into the song!

SZA marries “Hit Different” and “Good days” and to be honest, it was the best move she could make. Both songs are sonically different with one carrying a relaxed chill R&B beat, while the latter gives more of an angelic vibe. Both songs are lyrically packed with deep metaphors and substance, and complement each other well.  “Hit Different” Speaks on connections that are deeper than others. Connections that no one else could understand because you and your person just get each other. The track beautifully discusses what it feels like when someone mirrors you, and how it both triggers you and makes you more accepting of them and all the ugly bits of them—because you too hold the same qualities. “Good days” deals with the lingering pain of an ex, and how the end of a relationship can takes a toll on your both mentally and spiritually. Wanting to regain control of your emotions after a split while simultaneously releasing control of the future is needed in order to regain peace of mind.  

Jacob Collier’s angelic harmonies paired with SZA’s impeccable pen game and ethereal vocals bring a dream like feel. You can hear both the love and the pain in this track, almost as if she was baring her soul to a higher power. Seeking relief from the burdens she’s facing and really confronting her need for control.  A soft-spoken surrender to hope fueled by gentle melodies that fill you with unwavering faith that there are better days to come. Referencing the story of Job was a brilliant way to express the losses that she’s endured. The Lyric “Feeling like Job when he lost his shit got to hold my own, my cross to bear alone” cuts deep because when we feel lost, when we are stripped of our ego, we truly have no choice but to find ourselves. Confronting our innermost demons and having utmost trust that life will eventually work out in our favor is one of the most difficult things we as humans we must face.  Staring your short comings right in the face is daunting because our ego prevents us from seeing ourselves as less than perfect making it harder to change those aspects of ourselves. The beauty of SZA is, that she knows how to touch the parts of our souls that have been shattered. The parts of us we don’t want to confront because we know that if we do, it’ll send us down a long path of painful self-reflection. SZA never fails to tap into the insecurities that we hold onto, reminding us that, at our very core, we possess our own set of vulnerabilities. We are not exempt from experiencing pain, and if you’re anything like me, you’re no stranger to heart break. However, whether we want to confront those parts of ourselves, is up to us. SZA isn’t afraid to talk about the perils of dating in modern society, in some ways, she even embraces it. She acknowledges her feelings no matter what they are and makes it okay for us to do so as well.