When a seasoned musician releases his or her first self-titled album, it is usually a hint that the album is a statement about the artist's career and style. In the case of Colombian songstress Shakira, who has commanded serious respect in the pop arena for years, her self-titled album is a perfect snapshot of who she used to be, who is she is and, ultimately, who she hopes to be.
"Shakira" is an interesting listen to say the least. The tenth studio album in her career, "Shakira" contains tracks that are brazenly old school. Tunes like album openers "Dare (La La La)," "You Don't Care About Me" and "Empire" could easily be B-sides from Shakira's 2005 attempt, "Oral Fixation, Vol. 2." This is, no doubt, an intentional choice - a lot of Shakira's appeal, since the beginning of her career, has been tied to her unabashed melodic choices and her ability to convey exactly what she feels. Though the lyrics can sound bizarre ("And the stars make love to the universe / You're my wildfire every single night" on the track "Empire") and songs can often feel trite and cheesy, Shakira's power and confidence flood the album, making it nothing less than an addictive listen.
The pop star, however, is not content with just producing music that evokes memories of her past successes. In fact, the collaborators she worked with on this latest release speak to Shakira's future artistic ambitions. Currently the most popular single off of the album, "Can't Remember to Forget You," which features fellow pop princess Rihanna, is one such example: It is an intense track riddled with pop-y riffs, snappy percussion and a gnarly bass line. This song, however, is not your typical contemporary pop hit; devoid of any dub-step or electronic influences, "Can't Remember to Forget You" is somewhat of an anomaly to the current music landscape.
A rather shocking collaborator on the album is country heartthrob Blake Shelton. Though their careers have intertwined on the popular NBC show "The Voice" (2011-present), the product of their teamwork - a song called "Medicine" - is a surprising nugget on the album. Unabashedly embracing both country music and sentimentality, "Medicine" is an interesting experiment in the influence of genre over individual style. Though it's not the best track on the album, the song holds its own, even on an album on where it is seemingly out of place.
Of course, no Shakira album would be complete without some songs in Spanish. "Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte" - the Spanish version of "Can't Remember to Forget You" - and the last track on the album "Loca por Ti" are ballad-y tracks that are easy to enjoy. Shakira has consistently brought Spanish music to the foreground of American pop, which she does again in this album, using her Latin roots to craft songs. Indeed, the Colombian artist provides a distinct experience and has undoubtedly garnered many fans as a result.
But the album is not a hit-after-hit, no-brainer success. It is a solid portrait of who the pop star is, her ambitions for the future and the audiences that love her. The track "Spotlight" perfectly captures the tone and philosophy behind "Shakira." By belting poignant lyrics like, "Don't need anyone else / you're here because you want me," Shakira seems to be telling fans that she is, and will always be, true to herself. Though a hackneyed sentiment, this kind of authenticity can be hard to find in today's sonic landscape. While other bands transform themselves left and right for money and fame, Shakira's authenticity is highlighted on her self-titled album.
Because of this, "Shakira" is not a "cool" album - it is not an album that Pitchfork will review or that your Bob Dylan-obsessed friends will stream on Spotify. However, those wise enough to recognize Shakira's talent and heart will enjoy this latest effort immensely.
