28 year old Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Caracciolo — musically known as Alessia Cara — released her fourth studio album “Love & Hyperbole” February 14, 2025, gifting listeners the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. This pop-focused album, centered on the various forms of love and loss throughout personal and relationship developments, impressed fans with both a vulnerable and relatable message.
The four-time 2018 Grammy award winner, and first ever Canadian artist to win “Best New Artist,” gained major attention with her debut single “Here.” Signed with EP Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings at the young age of 18, Cara released “Here” in April 2015, and blew up online and found her way into the hearts of teenagers. Still one of her top-streamed songs, the singular track only launched her career into success.
“I’ve definitely heard of her more popular songs on the radio, especially when I was a kid. I wouldn’t really expect myself to listen to her newer music because it’s not really my style, but I was genuinely surprised when I heard it. Her new songs are a lot different compared to the stuff everyone knows,” senior Henry Witschy said.
Her first longer piece under the EP titled “Four Pink Walls” serves as an introduction to her debut album “Know-It-All,” released in November 2015, which featured the hit song “Wild Things.” The songs included in these releases with aspects of rhythm and blues, focused on the struggles of young women and teenagers.
Cara’s career especially gained traction with the release of the 2016 Disney movie “Moana” due to her contribution to the soundtrack. “How Far I’ll Go,” sung by Cara, appeared in the end credits of the hit movie, leading numerous Disney-enjoyers and young children to her musical platforms. A majority of Cara’s music also focuses on inspiration and confidence, allowing those younger children and teens to listen to her positivity. Notably, the track “Scars to Your Beautiful” from the “Know-It-All” album curated a positive message about a young girl learning to love herself and find her worth.
“Love & Hyperbole” totals at a listening time of 45 minutes, jam-packed with notes of ‘60s and ‘70s rock and pop. Cara takes listeners through this cohesive album, exploring the ups and downs of her musical career life, specifically focusing on her self reflection and personal relationships with those around her. The use of the word hyperbole in the title attaches a deeper meaning to the album. Cara feels she does not need to exaggerate daily feelings to create her music, but rather introduces humor and fear with the use of hyperboles throughout her lyrics.
Opening with the track titled “Go Outside!” listeners can observe the changes of the fresh album in comparison with her discography. The live instrumentals instantly create a catchy beat that Cara layers onto with her smooth melodies. The album differs from typical and trending pop at high places on the charts, introducing notes of jazz and rock — yet still creating a bop that will continue to play in one’s ear for years to come.
“I liked all the jazzy elements in the new songs and even the lyrics had more depth than just another teenage girl song. There were a lot more instrumentals in it and some even had less singing and you could really hear the musical elements. It gave me a car ride to the beach vibes, I love her funky new sound,” Witschy said.
Transitioning into the angsty lead single “Dead Man,” featuring her beautifully blended vocals, Cara tells the story about trying to grasp onto the end of a failing relationship. Following directly after, “Subside” falls into a vocally heavy listen, full of runs and melodic layers — focusing on her purpose in her actions. As the album continues, several different genres become incorporated. In “Nighttime Thing,” once again focusing on reflection of herself and her feelings, the upbeat and fast-paced track differs from the slower tracks surrounding it, incorporating more of a pop beat.
The album concludes with the track “Clearly,” detailing Cara’s growth — both vocally and emotionally. She describes her journey of overcoming difficulties with someone, and how she can now see the differences between the beginning and the end.
As the tracklist takes fans through a whirlwind of love, anger, obsessive worries and other consuming feelings, Cara truly excites listeners with a new take on her music. Throughout her entire discography, listeners can find a plethora of songs to relate to, leaving them comfortable and yearning for new releases. Cara surely did not let music-lovers down with her Valentine’s release, creating one of the top albums of 2025 as of yet.
The Chant’s grade: B+
