Just when we thought the ‘Age of Girl Groups’ were over (shout out to the legends of the past decades – TLC, Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child and the Pussycat Dolls!) the rare music commodity is on the rise again in the form of Fifth Harmony, who are battling their male counterparts head-on. The group is making noise on the airwaves in both their homeland and worldwide, cementing their path to the hall of fame, alongside their femme predecessors.
The hits ‘Worth It’ and ‘Work From Home’ skyrocketed the five-member girl group from X-Factor alumni to international pop stardom status. Fifth Harmony has built up enough momentum for fans and music followers alike, in time for their new album “7/27” which is titled after the day that they were formed on the high-rated reality talent competition.
The quintet’s recent release contains 12 tracks of pop and R&B head-boppers. The album starts with ‘That’s My Girl’, the flagship track that delivers girl empowerment, and is followed by ‘Work From Home’ featuring rapper Ty Dolla $ign. The momentum is kept with ‘This Life’, an upbeat song about living it up and achieving the life that one deserves. ‘Write On Me’ is the second title single off the album, and ladies, this is “the” track you’d play while you are on the road with your boyfriend/husband. It has the right amount of groove, and an easy to sing-a-long chorus. After that joyride of a single, ‘I Lied’ is a likeable jewel that talks about the real kind of love women long for, while in the song ‘All in My Head (Flex)’ (featuring the “Trap Queen’s King”), Fetty Wap catches your attention with its easy beat, guitar riffs and mature lyrics. The theme extends to the next track, ‘Squeeze’.
‘Gonna Get Better’ delivers a message of unconditional love and is followed by ‘Scared of Happy’, which tackles the fear of being afraid to pursue something great. ‘Not That Kinda Girl’ contradicts the attitude of the previous song with its confident melody and fierce rap by the queen herself, Missy Elliot. The lovesick ‘Dope’ slows down the pace of the album with its pop-ish but laid back style. ‘No Way’, a slow-paced rhythm, closes the compilation.
There were doubts looming around this second album as Fifth Harmony had slowly become associated with a too ‘mature-for-their-age’ image. The album boasts melodies and beats that shroud the messaging behind some of the explicit lyrics in some of the songs.
The work is commendable, however, with each girl showcasing her vocal prowess. Fifth Harmony is growing up fast – they can afford to dial it down just a bit as they have the whole world ahead of them.
