Therapy by Anne Marie: album review
Anne Marie’s “Therapy” is brilliantly crafted but not brave enough to take risks, Emma Dear explores.
Anne Marie’s rise to fame is no small feat. Her first EP Karate was released in 2015 and she started making waves with her song Alarm from her full-length album, Speak your mind. The song peaked at number 2 on UK charts and it was certified platinum. She’s collaborated with the likes of Clean Bandit, Marshmello, Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat... The list is endless! And now she’s released her second album, Therapy, which is (almost) perfection, harking back to the golden era of pop music in 2018 (which, incidentally, introduced international star Dua Lipa to the global music scene). Therapy successfully conveys the triumph of learning to accept a mental illness and coping with it.
The opening of the album is relatively underwhelming. In “x2”, Anne Marie doesn’t showcase her impressive vocal range and the song lacks depth, making for a slightly weak beginning to the album. “Don’t play,” Anne Marie’s collaboration with KSI doesn’t improve the lacklustre feel that the album gives so far, however, rap fans will enjoy this offering. On the other hand, the third song, “Kiss My (Uh Oh)” is when the album finds itself. This collaboration with the global sensation pop group Little Mix has been long awaited and not entirely unexpected. Ex-Little Mix member, Jesy Nelson, had commented on Anne Marie, expressing “We absolutely love her” and confirmed that “We definitely want to work with her.”
In her iTunes interview, Anne Marie said she believed “Little Mix made (the song) a hundred times better” and explained it “felt good to collaborate with girls” as she “tend(s) to collaborate with boys.” With two of British pop’s biggest artists, the song shines as an empowering highlight to the album and one of Anne Marie’s best yet. “Who I am” continues the confident direction that Anne Marie determined for the album. “You can love me or hate me” she sings, “Nothing’s gonna change me.” This self-assurance didn’t come easily to the singer in the past. In her interview, she confided that for “so much of my life, I depended on other people to make me happy” but asserts that “I don’t care what people say anymore.” The loud, bubbly chorus suits Anne Marie, and for her, that’s just fine.
In the next track, Anne Marie collaborates with Niall Horan to create the fittingly named “Our Song” about ex-lovers who hear a song they created together on the radio, reminding them of each other. It’s emotional, heart wrenching and touching. “Way too long” another collaboration with Nathan Dawe and Mostack oozes of 2020-style dance-pop and will appeal to lovers of EDM and rap. The next song on the album is called “Breathing” and it is Anne Marie’s first love song. She explained that “I normally cringe when I’m trying to write a love song” and said that her many experiences of heartbreak made her start “not believing in love.” To her, this song is “about coming to the realisation that you can’t not believe in it.” The song is quiet and soulful and it is a fresh perspective from the singer. However, “Unlovable” contradicts this message, with Anne Marie asking “Could anybody love me” and tells the listener she’s “so used to being lonely.” It’s a fairly unremarkable song and becomes even more disappointing when you realise the singer collaborated with smash hit band Rudimental. The song fails to make an impact on the listener and it is one of the album’s weakest offerings.
Arguably, the next four songs on the album are the best Anne Marie has to offer. “Beautiful” is a track that discusses body positivity and self-image with a sense of comfort and a positive message for the listener. Anne Marie explores the concept of not seeing yourself as you really are with the lyric “I don’t like this stranger staring at me” when she looks in the mirror. She suggests that if we can’t meet the standards the media sets for us, it can be difficult to accept ourselves. Sometimes we may subconsciously reject the reality of what our reflection shows us. She further suggests this when she finds herself “wondering why my body doesn’t look like them” but reaffirms that “We are beautiful” no matter what. It’s a charming and uplifting song promoting self-confidence.
The tenth song is called “Tell your girlfriend” - a fun and witty addition to the album. Commenting on the song, Anne Marie said that she “hates cheaters” and wants to “tell the person they’re cheating on what they’re doing.” In another interview, the singer confessed that “I’ve always loved the idea of revenge.” This passion for vengeance is clear in the song as she claims that “It will be my pleasure” to provide the truth for the girl who is being cheated on. It’s a pleasing story of retribution worth listening to.
The penultimate song is “Better Not Together” (a self-explanatory title) which tells a story of two people who are best not in a relationship. The chorus is the finest part of the song, showing Anne Marie’s vocal range and her heartfelt expression of someone who is coming to terms with the truth. It’s a profound song that continues the narration of “Heavy,” a track from her first LP.
The last, (and the best) song is the title of the album, “Therapy”. “Therapy can come in so many forms, like writing a diary or growing vegetables or speaking to a friend” explains Anne Marie. This song discusses coping mechanisms in relation to mental health. An example is when Anne Marie sings how “I thought love was the answer to all my problems.” Perhaps her logic was that in loving another person, she could forget herself in the process. She also mentions how “distractions ain’t working for me.” In failing to confront how we feel, we can end up feeling even more isolated and helpless in the process. At the end of the song, Anne Marie acknowledges that instead of trying to numb herself emotionally she “just needed therapy” to help her battle her demons. It’s incredibly personal, vulnerable and raw, concluding the album perfectly and it invites the listener to reflect on their own mental health in the process.
Anne Marie’s newest album is notably thoughtful and unusually honest. Even the shakier songs are worthy of hitting repeat, even if they feel familiar. Some of the tracks on the album, such as “Way too long” and “Our song” could have just as easily been a song on another album from a famous artist such as Taylor Swift or Selena Gomez. It highlights how pop music can be generic sometimes and lack meaning. She more than makes up for this however with the songs “Beautiful” “Who I am” and “Therapy” which explode with passion and spirit. They are the very best Anne Marie has to offer, and that is more than enough for the listener.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Emma Dear, Year 11
Anne Marie’s rise to fame is no small feat. Her first EP Karate was released in 2015 and she started making waves with her song Alarm from her full-length album, Speak your mind. The song peaked at number 2 on UK charts and it was certified platinum. She’s collaborated with the likes of Clean Bandit, Marshmello, Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat... The list is endless! And now she’s released her second album, Therapy, which is (almost) perfection, harking back to the golden era of pop music in 2018 (which, incidentally, introduced international star Dua Lipa to the global music scene). Therapy successfully conveys the triumph of learning to accept a mental illness and coping with it.
The opening of the album is relatively underwhelming. In “x2”, Anne Marie doesn’t showcase her impressive vocal range and the song lacks depth, making for a slightly weak beginning to the album. “Don’t play,” Anne Marie’s collaboration with KSI doesn’t improve the lacklustre feel that the album gives so far, however, rap fans will enjoy this offering. On the other hand, the third song, “Kiss My (Uh Oh)” is when the album finds itself. This collaboration with the global sensation pop group Little Mix has been long awaited and not entirely unexpected. Ex-Little Mix member, Jesy Nelson, had commented on Anne Marie, expressing “We absolutely love her” and confirmed that “We definitely want to work with her.”
In her iTunes interview, Anne Marie said she believed “Little Mix made (the song) a hundred times better” and explained it “felt good to collaborate with girls” as she “tend(s) to collaborate with boys.” With two of British pop’s biggest artists, the song shines as an empowering highlight to the album and one of Anne Marie’s best yet. “Who I am” continues the confident direction that Anne Marie determined for the album. “You can love me or hate me” she sings, “Nothing’s gonna change me.” This self-assurance didn’t come easily to the singer in the past. In her interview, she confided that for “so much of my life, I depended on other people to make me happy” but asserts that “I don’t care what people say anymore.” The loud, bubbly chorus suits Anne Marie, and for her, that’s just fine.
In the next track, Anne Marie collaborates with Niall Horan to create the fittingly named “Our Song” about ex-lovers who hear a song they created together on the radio, reminding them of each other. It’s emotional, heart wrenching and touching. “Way too long” another collaboration with Nathan Dawe and Mostack oozes of 2020-style dance-pop and will appeal to lovers of EDM and rap. The next song on the album is called “Breathing” and it is Anne Marie’s first love song. She explained that “I normally cringe when I’m trying to write a love song” and said that her many experiences of heartbreak made her start “not believing in love.” To her, this song is “about coming to the realisation that you can’t not believe in it.” The song is quiet and soulful and it is a fresh perspective from the singer. However, “Unlovable” contradicts this message, with Anne Marie asking “Could anybody love me” and tells the listener she’s “so used to being lonely.” It’s a fairly unremarkable song and becomes even more disappointing when you realise the singer collaborated with smash hit band Rudimental. The song fails to make an impact on the listener and it is one of the album’s weakest offerings.
Arguably, the next four songs on the album are the best Anne Marie has to offer. “Beautiful” is a track that discusses body positivity and self-image with a sense of comfort and a positive message for the listener. Anne Marie explores the concept of not seeing yourself as you really are with the lyric “I don’t like this stranger staring at me” when she looks in the mirror. She suggests that if we can’t meet the standards the media sets for us, it can be difficult to accept ourselves. Sometimes we may subconsciously reject the reality of what our reflection shows us. She further suggests this when she finds herself “wondering why my body doesn’t look like them” but reaffirms that “We are beautiful” no matter what. It’s a charming and uplifting song promoting self-confidence.
The tenth song is called “Tell your girlfriend” - a fun and witty addition to the album. Commenting on the song, Anne Marie said that she “hates cheaters” and wants to “tell the person they’re cheating on what they’re doing.” In another interview, the singer confessed that “I’ve always loved the idea of revenge.” This passion for vengeance is clear in the song as she claims that “It will be my pleasure” to provide the truth for the girl who is being cheated on. It’s a pleasing story of retribution worth listening to.
The penultimate song is “Better Not Together” (a self-explanatory title) which tells a story of two people who are best not in a relationship. The chorus is the finest part of the song, showing Anne Marie’s vocal range and her heartfelt expression of someone who is coming to terms with the truth. It’s a profound song that continues the narration of “Heavy,” a track from her first LP.
The last, (and the best) song is the title of the album, “Therapy”. “Therapy can come in so many forms, like writing a diary or growing vegetables or speaking to a friend” explains Anne Marie. This song discusses coping mechanisms in relation to mental health. An example is when Anne Marie sings how “I thought love was the answer to all my problems.” Perhaps her logic was that in loving another person, she could forget herself in the process. She also mentions how “distractions ain’t working for me.” In failing to confront how we feel, we can end up feeling even more isolated and helpless in the process. At the end of the song, Anne Marie acknowledges that instead of trying to numb herself emotionally she “just needed therapy” to help her battle her demons. It’s incredibly personal, vulnerable and raw, concluding the album perfectly and it invites the listener to reflect on their own mental health in the process.
Anne Marie’s newest album is notably thoughtful and unusually honest. Even the shakier songs are worthy of hitting repeat, even if they feel familiar. Some of the tracks on the album, such as “Way too long” and “Our song” could have just as easily been a song on another album from a famous artist such as Taylor Swift or Selena Gomez. It highlights how pop music can be generic sometimes and lack meaning. She more than makes up for this however with the songs “Beautiful” “Who I am” and “Therapy” which explode with passion and spirit. They are the very best Anne Marie has to offer, and that is more than enough for the listener.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Emma Dear, Year 11