Review
Amaarae's "Fountain Baby" is like a musical chameleon on a caffeine binge—constantly shifting and surprising you at every turn. Bursting onto the scene in 2023, this album is a cocktail of R&B, hip-hop, Afropop, punk, and alternative rock mixed with such effortless flair that you'll wonder if genre barriers were ever even a thing. Imagine being whisked off into a sonic theme park where each track offers a new ride—thrilling and unexpected.
From the ethereal vibes of "Angels in Tibet" to the steamy allure of "Reckless & Sweet," Amaarae is flexing her versatility like she's trying to win a bet with herself. "Counterfeit" throws you straight into early-2000s movie nostalgia, thanks to KZ Didit's enchanting production, while "Wasted Eyes" starts with a koto solo and digs into the raw emotions of a fractured romance. Critics are throwing bouquets at "Fountain Baby" like it's the musical MVP, with a stellar 95/100 on Metacritic and Pitchfork anointing it "Best New Music." If you're looking for an album that redefines what it means to be a global pop sensation, "Fountain Baby" is your ticket. - Chloe
Artist Bio
Amaarae is a Ghanaian-American singer, songwriter, and producer who grew up moving between the US and Ghana, and began releasing music with her debut EP, Passionfruit Summers, in 2017. Known for her genre-blending style that merges pop, R&B, afrobeats, and alté, Amaarae gained international recognition with her 2020 album The Angel You Don’t Know, especially after the single “Sad Girlz Luv Money” went viral on TikTok and charted globally following a remix with Kali Uchis. Continuing to receive critical acclaim, she released her album Fountain Baby in 2023, which further showcased her distinctive sound and bold exploration of gender and identity themes. Amaarae has worked with artists like Moliy, Stonebwoy, and Kojey Radical, and her music draws comparisons to acts such as Santi, Tems, and Rema. Overall, she is known for her innovative approach to African music and for challenging conventional boundaries in style and subject matter.
