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Khalid’s “Free Spirit”: A Review

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Miami (OH) chapter.

It’s here. Khalid’s highly anticipated second studio album was released last Friday, April 5th and us American teens are going crazy for it. Already taking up many top spots on the charts and invading radio stations around the country, this 17-song album entitled Free Spirit is the talk of music listeners everywhere. Now, if you’ve never heard of Khalid or listened to his insanely popular debut album American Teen, you’re probably like, “What’s the big deal?” Well, the big deal is that Khalid’s debut album broke the internet when first released and people are still shook from his infectious lyrics and smooth vocals. However, having had an unbelievable start, his fans were anxious to see whether his second album would live up to the hype. The verdict? Free Spirit is everything we hoped for and more!

 

Going along with the vibes of the first album, this album tackles young love and reckless youth through catchy melodies and soulful verses. What is very special about Khalid’s work on both this album and his past music, is that he is able to create both upbeat and slow jams. Free Spirit features songs of all different tempos. Sure, the most popular songs are his upbeat tracks, such as “My Bad” and “Talk”, both released early to give a small taste of the album. Still, some of his best-hidden gems are those with slow to medium tempos, like “Free Spirit” and “Alive”. They might be inappropriate to play in the club, but they definitely put you in your feels and are songs that anyone can relate to, especially those of our generation. Khalid is a creator for millennials and produces music so in tune with things we have felt that his albums become bibles for teenagers to anchor themselves to. He is one of the most prominent voices of our generation.

 

Getting back to the album, my personal favorite songs are, in order of appearance on the album, “Intro”, “Bad Luck”,  “My Bad”, “Talk”, “Right Back”, “Free Spirit”, “Bluffin”, “Alive”, and “Saturday Nights”. I know I just listed over half of the album, but when it comes to Khalid, all of his songs are hits. My favorite song? “Intro”. It may be a little unconventional to favor the first track of an album, especially when the title is “Intro” and its main purpose is to set up the rest of the track list. I just find this song to be something I can wake up to, get hyped to, or listen to whenever I’m feeling down. It has a certain magic to it that leaves me wanting more every time I listen to it in full. On the other hand, all of the other songs on the album are extraordinary as well. Below, I’ve made a list of all of them with descriptions to help you navigate Free Spirit.

 

Intro: ooooh yeah boom BAM that’s an all smiles vibe

Bad Luck: jammin’ with the homies while eating good pizza

My Bad: cruisin’ on the highway at night, 15 miles over the speed limit, with the windows down

Better: dancing in the shower, speaker blasting

Talk: go CRAZY, go STUPID

Right Back: you feel like you’re in a music video on a beach

Don’t Pretend: getting ready to see your S.O.

Paradise: different, but also trippy as hell in a good way

Hundred: on one of those once-every-three-months jogs around campus

Outta My Head: heart eyes emoji

Free Spirit: coming-of-age movie, the scene where the group of friends is having the time of their lives (usually involved sparklers or driving or running aimlessly)

Twenty One: doing homework, growing out of your loud friends

Bluffin’: sing it LOOOUUUUDDDD vibes

Self: rainy morning with a hot beverage warming your hands

Alive: feels, feels, feels, my friend

Heaven: you’re crying but you love it

Saturday Nights: mmmmm summer + acoustic vibe

 

If you haven’t taken a listen to Free Spirit, I strongly encourage you to. It is Khalid’s first #1 album and has something on it for everyone.

 

Janelle Hart

Miami (OH) '21

Janelle is an English - Creative Writing and Media and Culture double major at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Prior to college, she attended a small high school in her hometown of Freehold, NJ. She loves to write about today's culture and aspires to write future films.
Carrie Shaheen

Miami (OH) '19

Miami University President/Writer