Kali Uchis released her most vulnerable, raw and honest album on May 9. “Sincerely,” is her fifth studio album, released just over a year after her previous album, “Orquídeas”.
Uchis has called it her “most cohesive” body of work yet, and I couldn’t agree more. Unlike the genre jumping in her previous work, “Sincerely,” follows a one-tone, downtempo all throughout the album, and carries a completely different sound. One thing that hasn’t changed is Uchis’ siren-like voice and nostalgic sound.
People took to social media to share their thoughts on the new release.
According to TikTok creator @nosaputyouon, “Sincerely,” is, “a love letter to simplicity,” and, “a reminder that softness can be radical, but elegant at the same time.” She also described it as, “Cohesive to the likes of “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye,” since Uchis references the current state of the world in some of the tracks.
The Grammy award-winning artist said that this album comes after experiencing the loss of her mother, as well as navigating being a first-time mother herself. Uchis shared that her relationship with her mother, Betsy Loaiza Boteler, had always been complicated, but that they had reconciled before she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.
One of the last things Uchis received from her mother were handwritten letters, and thus, the title for her album was born.
The first song on “Sincerely,” is titled, “Heaven is a Home…” Uchis shared that this is not only the first song on the album, but also the first one she wrote when creating it. The song explores hope and optimism, ending with, “this is a story of a girl / who was once imprisoned by her own mind / and freedom’s never felt this good.”
The lyrics, “shining thru the clouds / see a smiling face / and it gives me faith / yeah, it gives me hope,” sent chills through me now knowing that her mom has passed.
“Heaven is a Home…” beautifully transitions into “Sugar! Honey! Love!” This is one of my favorites on the album, as it speaks of the renewal through love that comes after bad experiences. “Every day was gray / you put color back to my world.”
The song hints at ending generational trauma with the lyrics, “I did all my time for a crime that wasn’t mine / made it out alive, now I’m letting the sun / shine on me and my sweet sugar honey love.” Uchis has been vocal about her difficult upbringing, and I think now that she has a child of her own, she looks forward to raising him differently.
Following is “Lose my Cool,” one of many odes to other artists on the album. This one in particular references OutKast’s “Take Off Your Cool.”
In this song, Uchis speaks to the vulnerability that can come with relationships. “Baby take off your cool / I wanna see you,” references abandoning social cues around someone you love.
“It’s Just Us” is the fourth song, and another favorite of mine. While I don’t relate to motherhood, I found this track to be very sweet.
Its opening line, “when you smiled at me / something changed in my brain chemistry,” refers to how brain chemistry changes when a mother gives birth. Uchis goes on to sing, “cause I don’t care about much anymore, it’s just us.” It’s a very endearing reminder of just how strong a mother’s love can be.
“For: You” is a love ballad where Uchis goes on to describe everything she would do for those she loves. “Love is a gun / I’ll bite the bullet.” It promotes the album’s overall sonic sound and has the classic “shoo-ba-doo” we hear in older music.
“Silk Lingerie,” the sixth song on the album, is an eerie and melancholy song that is reminiscent of Lana Del Rey’s “Million Dollar Man.” The lyrics in Uchis’ song, “Tell me, how do you do it? / Wish everyone was perfect as you / how did you fall for someone complicated and flawed as me” are a parallel to Del Rey’s, “And I don’t know how you get over, get over / someone as dangerous, tainted and flawed as you.”
Elvis Presley’s “(You’re The) Devil in Disguise” is referenced in track seven, “Territorial.” In this track, Uchis lets it be known that she is capable of standing her ground when someone threatens her love life.
“See, I look like an angel, walk like an angel / sometimes, I might even talk like an angel,” is similar to Presley’s, “You look like an angel, walk like an angel / talk like an angel.” However, in “Territorial”, Uchis’ loyalty isn’t questioned, but rather what she might do if her boundaries are crossed.
In the eighth track, “Fall Apart,” Uchis describes deep, unconditional love. “We’re in an eternal honeymoon / cause you love me for my mind, my soul, my heart.” This song expresses how love goes beyond perfection and looks, and is a sense of emotional safety and patience.
The ninth song, “All I Can Say,” has an accompanying music video. This song continues to carry that nostalgic sound, accompanied by Uchis’ beautiful, jazzy vocals. She describes that inner peace cannot be brought down by negativity. “I’m not sorry for the way that I love or the heart that I have,” suggests that she will continue to be herself regardless of what is said or done to her.
“Daggers!” explores love from the perspective of a friend. Uchis sings, “I hate the way he treats you, too dumb to know what he’s got.” The lyrics also include, “I wish you saw yourself the way I see you / wish you could see yourself through my eyes,” referring to how much she cherishes her friend.
Throughout the song, she references that her friend is in a relationship where she is not being respected or loved properly. She begs her friend to leave, as “daggers” are shooting at her.
“Angels All Around Me…” is a song that touches on spirituality and protection from a higher power. In the first half of the song, Uchis sings, “When life was dangerous you covered me / under your angel wings.” In the second half, she shares a prayer for herself, her family and other people, with, “Let us pray / for the children every single day / let them play / let them sing and laugh infinitely.”
“Breeze!” is another spiritually fueled song with a direct quote from the Bible: “Forgive them, they know not what they do.” Uchis urges us to trust and lean on love, for it conquers all. “Let it be easy as a breeze / love will provide us with everything we need.”
The last two songs on her album feature her deceased mother and her baby boy.
“Good morning, sunshine,” opens up the track “Sunshine & Rain” with the voice of Loaiza Boteler, Uchis’ mother. It was released as a single prior to the album and is a song devoted to the ups and downs of life, and having someone with you throughout it all. She sings, “Through sunshine and rain, as seasons change / we all need somebody that makes the world feel heavenly.”
The album ends with “ILYSMIH,” an abbreviation for “I love you so much it hurts.” In this track, Uchis gives insight to the bond between a mother and child, and the intense, transformational connection it brings. “For once in my life, I’m not alone anymore / see, my heart had a dream to be part of a family.” It features the voice of her son, whom she refers to as “Pooks” in the credits. He can be heard at the end of the song giggling and saying “mommy.”
I give this album a full five stars because of how deeply personal it is to the artist, while still resonating with the listeners. While I am not a mother, or someone who has lost a mother, this album touched me with its vulnerability, positivity and openness from an artist that I always deeply appreciate.
“Sincerely,” itself reads like a letter. The transitions from song to song are smooth, and they sink into each other so effortlessly. It feels as though Uchis is personally speaking to the listener.
Anyone who is a fan of songs that portray messages of unconditional love, hope, spirituality and vulnerability will enjoy this album as if it were personally signed, sealed and delivered to them.
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