Soft Girl & Freak In The Sheets: Kali Uchis Knows Duality All Too Well
Once you hit play to the first song off of ‘Red Moon In Venus,’ you’re setting off to embark on a journey that no other artist other than Kali Uchis can provide you with. Virginia-born and Colombia-raised, the singer-songwriter recently released ‘Red Moon In Venus,’ which holds a weight of 43 minutes and 22 seconds with 15 songs.
After listening to this album multiple times, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s one of those pieces of work that goes by way too fast and keeps you wanting more, which is a compliment to the album in itself, of course. The opening track named ‘in My Garden…’ gives us a glimpse into what a voicemail from the singer-songwriter could sound like as she whispers, “Hello, Can you hear me? I just wanted to tell you, in case you forgot, I love you”, whoever ends up being lucky enough to be whispered sweet nothings by Uchis like the one in this voicemail is the luckiest human ever to exist (we’re looking at you Don Toliver).
If you were wondering if the R&B Latina singer were in love before, you’d find your answer before you even finish listening to the album. Uchis makes it very clear that she’s in love, ready to be around her significant other all day, and down to get freaky. "Worth the Wait” featuring our king, Omar Apollo, takes us through the journey of figuring out those new feelings you get when the attraction starts to get stronger and stronger toward that person, and you just know you’re a goner. Acceptance is the first step! Kali is fully leaning into those feelings and is embracing how obsessed she is with her person when she sings, “I want to be around you every day. This feeling in my body’s not the same, Are you still down?” I really love how honest this song is when it comes to her professing herself emotionally and physically to this person she cares so much about. “Worth the wait” is a beautiful representation of when you’ve reached that sense of comfort with whoever you’re with, and it’s go time: all gas, no brakes.
As we transcend into more of this otherworldly album, the sounds of every song paint pictures of lush energy and a world where only Uchis and her partner exist. “All Mine '' is the track where she’s claiming her mans, and as she should. If I were a talented singer and songwriter, I would be writing songs left and right about every single experience and relationship I encountered, too, just to keep track. Everything is data at the end of the day. Kali sings, “Every time I see you smile, that’s all me, And if they thought they had a chance, I’m sorry, But there just ain’t no way in hell, that’s all mine, all me, Don’t gotta fight for what is mine (now), You couldn't keep him even if I gave him to you,” and I have to say it; BARS BARS BARS. I couldn’t be more fascinated with Kali saying, hey, there’s no point in me fighting over him because we know who he will go home to at the end of the day. What’s meant for you will not pass you, and in this siren-like song, Kali is marking her territory. PSA, Uchis is Colombian and a Cancer, so I’d steer clear of trying anything shady with her.
‘All Mine’ then transitions into ‘Fantasy’ featuring none other than Don Toliver himself. It’s a beautiful continuation of ‘All Mine,’ both artists claiming each other and their love for one another but also acknowledging mistakes that were made in the past, “I belong to you, Know you’re all mine too, Yes, we made mistakes, Now, can we make this right?”, isn’t that what we all want at the end of the day? Finding that person, you’d choose every day and growing from past mistakes while becoming better people together.
Now it’s time to tell you all my favorite songs off the album because I've listened to it so many times now that I feel like I was there when they wrote and produced it.
Starting off strong with “I Wish you Roses,”; Kali’s voice is godly in this track (in every track, honestly), but her lower register is something else here. Her metaphors in this track are so great, and I feel like she does a perfect job of getting her message across. It’s a track about longing for someone you thought you would be with for a long time, releasing them since they are no longer in your life. Holding resentment isn’t cute! Let’s wish everybody roses in 2023.
“Como Te Quiero Yo” is such a simple track, but I love just that about it. It’s nothing crazy but very feminine and sexy.
“Hasta Cuando” is such a bad bitch anthem. She’s talking to every person that has her name in their mouth! Verse 2 is THAT GIRL. Everyone needs to listen to this song and act like they have beef with someone because that’s the only way it’s fun to sing.
“Moral Conscience,” like I said, my girl is Colombian and a Cancer. Do not f*ck with her; she’ll do some brujeria sh*t on you, and you will regret it. I say that with love! This song is an excellent reminder for anyone that has been wronged. Everything comes back around, just listen to this song three times and let the rest fall into place (#BrujeriaForTheWin).
If you’ve been looking for an album to spice up your rotation, I highly recommend ‘Red Moon In Venus.’ Whether you’re in the sheets following Kali’s lyrics or driving near the beach, this album has made a mark on me, and I will be listening for the foreseeable future.
Strike out,
Boca Raton
Maria Paula Gonzales
Maria Paula Gonzales is the Web Director for Strike Magazine Boca. When she’s not writing her way through life, she enjoys thrifting, looking for concerts to attend, and spending as much time in nature as possible. You can reach her at mariapaulag97@gmail.com
