Khalid – after the sun goes down

Review

There’s an undeniable surge of release when you press play on after the sun goes down — a sense that Khalid is not just stepping into the night, but fully owning it. This 2025 album marks a turning point in his career and identity, arriving as his fourth studio record and one steeped in both sonic celebration and personal truth.

Musically, the album bursts with dance-pop energy and R&B warmth. Tracks like “in plain sight” and “out of body” pair slick garage and pop grooves with digital-era nostalgia — Khalid draws on influences from early ’00s icons and blends them with his signature vocal tone. Lyrically, there’s a brighter hue to the darkness: themes of desire, freedom, and self-acceptance thread through songs about lust, heartbreak, and renewal. The night becomes metaphorical and literal — the sun may go down, but here the story goes on.

That said, this turn toward exuberance may not land for every longtime fan. Some might miss the moody introspection of earlier work, feeling the arrangements slide toward pop-stream polish rather than raw emotional edge. But even then, it’s hard to knock the change of direction. after the sun goes down pulses with vitality and reclamation. It proves that Khalid isn’t just growing — he’s coming into his own. - Jada