It's no news that Avril's last five years between her self titled album in 2013 to now has been a difficult season for this young artist. Fighting for her life after being diagnosed with Lyme disease and going through her second divorce, Avril has been through the ringer physically and emotionally.
Released on February 15, the pop-punk princess dropped her fifth studio album 'Head Above Water' and has pleasantly surprised us all. The raunchy, boundary testing Avril we all know and love reflected in her pop-punk anthems like 'Sk8er Boi', 'Girlfriend', and 'Here's To Never Growing Up' has matured with this new album. We can see that the life events faced these past few years reflected the songs for this new season of healing and growth for the young artist.
The album beings with a sobering, yet uplifting mood, with her first released, the title track 'Head Above Water'. Where Avril finds the strength to push through her diagnosis through the strength and love of God. Criticized for being a self-serving worship song, we have to remember Avril is no worship artist, nor is she a Christian artist. We can applaud for her finding her faith through one of the darkest parts of her life.
The album continues into the songs 'Birdie', 'I Fell In Love With the Devil', and 'Tell Me It's Over' sings about heartache, breakups, and all the feels that come along with breaking up. We can see the life event of her divorce reflected in these tracks where anyone who has dealt with a hard break up can relate.
Avril then picks up the mood with a pop anthem where the Avril we all know and love shows us she is back and better than ever. Featuring Nicki Minaj, 'Dumb Blonde' puts a halt to the stereotype of blondes being dumb. It's cheesy but amazing. With lyrics like "I ain't no dumb blonde/ I ain't no stupid Barbie doll/ I got my game on/ You gon' watch me, watch me, watch me prove you wrong!" anyone can put this early 2000s styled banger and pop to the beat of their own drum.
The album then reverts back to the sobering, yet uplifting mood where we begin to see Avril's healing from these last few years. With songs like 'Warrior' and 'It Was In Me' we hear Avril find her strength to get back up again. Relating to anyone who has gone through a difficult time, but came out stronger than ever no matter how long or painful it was.
Songs like 'Souvenir', 'Goddess', 'Crush', 'Bigger Wow" and 'Love Me Insane', we see the healing of a breakup and the move to get back out into the game called love. Fans who are ready to get back into dating game or are already lucky in love can all swoon to these bops.
'Head Above Water' is an emotional experience from start to end. Go ahead, put the album on and join Avril in her journey of illness and heartache to healing and becoming stronger than ever.
