"Hundred" isn't the only song on which he vents. As much as any other artist shot to fame on the brink of adulthood, Khalid could be forgiven for turning in a woeful post-fame album and checking out.
During the two years that passed between American Teen and Free Spirit, he took part in a decade's worth of collaborations and stylistic crossovers, plus frequent touring amid nonstop promotional duties, all while earning five Grammy nominations and accumulating a stack of platinum certifications. Going by the unrelenting campaign to keep him in the spotlight since he hit with "Location," the statement doesn't seem all that hyperbolic. We were warned "Free Spirit" would be a very personal album from the opening song, "Intro," where Khalid sings: "I can't even live with being by myself/That's the part of me that really needs your help." But, to be honest, when it comes to making superb music, he doesn't need any help."Everybody wants a favor, everybody needs me," Khalid exhaustedly grumbles on "Hundred," a dispirited soft pop ballad placed in the middle of Free Spirit. He lays down overlapping vocals, adds twisty bits of electronica and employs his falsetto to great effect.Īt times, Khalid gets so introspective that the listener might feel like they've stumbled into a therapy session. If in the past he used just a little piano or a guitar lick, now he nestles his voice in hazy clouds of warm synth, murky echoes and usually some distorted effects.
Khalid's sound has evolved and so has the fuller production elements. Though lately he's been collaborating with everyone from Halsey to Kane Brown, Khalid keeps the guest list light here (though John Mayer supplies nifty guitar work on "Outta My Head.") Two of the better tracks, "Better" and "Saturday Nights," appeared on Khalid's recent EP "Suncity" and he reunites with producers Charlie Handsome and Digi, who co-wrote many of the tracks. On the funky "Paradise," he acknowledges his maturity: "I've been thinking a little deeper/contemplation, getting cleaner." "Free Spirit" is a fuller, layered 17-track album of unrushed, somber pop from an artist extending his wings and proving why he's one of the most exciting voices in music today.
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