Breaking through in 2015 with ‘Know Me Better’ Mabel has proven her success was more than just a stroke of luck many times over. Now with her debut album titled ‘High Expectations’, has she set the bar just out of reach?.
This year alone she’s seen success in charts in both the US and her home territory in the UK with ‘Don’t Call Me Up’ which boasts more than 300 million streams and the follow up ‘Mad Love’ is still gaining momentum. The daughter to a musical family, Mabel often draws comparisons to Dua Lipa because of her success, but sonically her new album places her in the spot to be the Ariana Grande this side of the pond.
As she releases her first official album ‘High Expectations’ with a 2 part release the world is watching. The debut album hits many high notes and it’s refreshingly not packed with features. The team behind the album, however, are among the biggest producers, writers in the game. From Steve Mac (Ed Sheeran – Shape of You) to Fraser T Smith (Adele and Stormzy), MNEK (Dua Lipa – IDGAF) and Jimmy Napes (Sam Smith Albums).
In addition to her previously released singles, our highlights appear closer to the end of the album tracklist; ‘Selfish Love’ (ft. Kamille), ‘Stckhlm Syndrome’ and ‘OK (anxiety Anthem)’. Rather than anything new, the extra additions on the second disc re-issue of her 2018 collaborations with Not3s, Jax Jones, Rich The Kid, RAYE & Stefflon Don.
Given UK pop music has been struggling to impact US Radio waves, her US victory has put her in the spotlight of some of the harshest critics. For us exploring both a modern pop flavour and flashbacks to a nostalgic 90’s flavour of R&B, Mabel has undoubtedly delivered an album that we’ll be adding to our collection of 2019 successes.
