For anyone who loves soft vocals and blended harmonies, this album is a must. Sabrina Claudio shares her second studio album “Truth Is” with 11 tracks including a duet with Zayn Malik and a Spanish version of her single “Truth Is.”
Released on Oct. 4, “Truth Is” revolves around letting go and happiness. “The process of this album has helped me not only grow as a woman, but also as a human … I’m learning about myself, my body and my mind, but I’m not afraid to tell my story,” Claudio said in her Complex interview.
The difference between Claudio’s debut album “Confidently Lost” and “Truth Is” is that she is no longer lost and her lyrics show it.
Claudio is known for her sensual sound and breathy vocals. The first single off Claudio’s album is titled “Truth Is” which was co-written by pop singer, Julia Michaels. Claudio vulnerably expresses her true feelings for someone she was trying to avoid emotions for.
“Those two words, truth is, symbolize everything this album is about,” Claudio said in an interview with Billboard.
Perhaps Claudio released this song first to create the tone for the rest of the album. Most of the songs reveal Claudio’s feelings toward love and the loyalty that comes with it.
“Holding the Gun” is a prime example of loyalty as Claudio sings about the everlasting love she has for her lover. This track illustrates wanting to stay by someone’s side even when they hurt you. The blend of harmonies and vocals during the post-chorus makes the track different from the other 10 songs. This track is one of my top three favorites from this album. Following the release of “Holding the Gun,” Claudio released her “Truth Is Tour” tour dates where she will be having shows in North America and Europe from now until November.
Claudio had the help of some stellar songwriters for this project, including Malik, who recently stepped into the music scene again. Claudio and Malik shared a duet titled “Rumors,” the third track on the album. This track was in the making since 2016 and on Oct. 2, Zayn posted a snippet of it on his Twitter. Unlike Claudio’s other songs, which are slower in tempo, “Rumors” is much more upbeat. The two voices complement each other so well.
The last track on the album is the “Truth Is” Spanish version. The Spanish version is stripped down with only a guitar and the singer’s natural vocals.
Overall, “Truth Is” has a soft tone, similar to mixtapes and albums that Claudio has released in the past. Claudio doesn’t use many effects in her music, which makes her songs sound very simple and smooth. This isn’t a typical R&B album that can sound busy with the many musical effects added in production. Claudio always finds a way to make her songs sound smooth and relaxing. Sticking to her unique style, this album is different from her debut album because it showcases her growth and vulnerability. Claudio is a relatively new artist and has more time to grow in her craft. “Truth Is” is definitely worth the listen.
Rating 4.5/5
Thumbnail photo courtesy of @sabrinaclaudio Instagram.
Cindy Lam is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached at cindy.lam@uconn.edu.
