‘Sincerely,’ by Kali Uchis; every hopeless romantic’s dream | Opinion

The op-ed below does not necessarily reflect the views of the University Daily Kansan and its members.

The flowers are blooming, summer thunderstorms have begun, the sun is shining and Kali Uchis has come into our lives once more to bless us with a new album. Much like spring and summer, Kali Uchis’s new album, “Sincerely,” brings new beginnings and tranquil excitement. A serene blissful reality that you never want to leave, like floating on a cloud, being cradled by the moon or living inside a bubble.

Like the beautiful muses Erato and Euterepe–of love poetry and song– Kali Uchis has created a melodic masterpiece curated specifically for all the lovergirls out there seeking peace and passion in their lives.  

I am a die-hard Kali Uchis fan. My 13-year-old self fell in love with her music after hearing “After the Storm” in 2018 and has never let her go. Kali is one of those artists that is able to put every indescribable feeling I have into a song. 

Her music is delicate, it’s feminine and vibrates at high frequencies meant to heal. The sheer amount of self-love and understanding that she has for herself is so contagious that it pours out to any listener of her music. 

All that to say “Sincerely,” is another beautiful creation, as is expected from Kali; one perfect for any hopeless romantic. Much like Uchis’s debut studio album, “Isolation,” “Sincerely,” lives in a dreamscape of soft, silky cadences akin to scenes from the “Pastoral Symphony” from Disney’s “Fantasia.” A place of love, flower petals and cherubs.

Ranking each of the 14 songs pains me, but I’m going to try to at least rank my top five anyway because I definitely have my favorites.

1.”Silk Lingerie,”

Each song on this album is very intimate and honest, as if it was written to be sent as a personal, hand-written letter; which makes sense considering the letters Kali’s mother had written for her when Kali was a baby were part of the inspiration for the album; they’re even featured in the vinyl release 

Unlike the rest of the songs, “Silk Lingerie” has a different tempo and vibe. It’s a lot more pensive and melancholy, with some darker themes. Kali says “Wish everyone was as perfect as you//How did you fall for someone so complicated and flawed,” a stark contrast to the romantic version that welcomes every blessing into her life without question; a version she displays throughout the rest of her songs. 

Instead, Kali questions whether she’s worthy of being loved by someone who is so perfect—at least in her eyes. It’s Kali at her most vulnerable, a rare moment of self-doubt. 

The fact that this song stands out from the rest of the tracks on “Sincerely,” is part of the reason I love it so much. It catches you off guard, it’s sultry and mysterious. Falling for someone can be a very thrilling and euphoric experience, but it can also be terrifying. When you’re as self aware about your flaws as someone like Kali it’s hard to accept the fact that someone could like you despite those flaws. 

Combine that with a tendency to idealise the person you’re falling for—which Kali alludes to saying “if only I was as perfect as you”—and it’s hard not to get self-conscious during the process of falling in love.

Regardless of the meaning, this song is just beautiful to me. It’s so calming but unsettling, and Kali’s vocalizations during the post-chorus are so angelic that the song can still exist in the dreamscape of “Sincerely,” despite its sadder undertones.  

2. “Territorial”

Ironically, my second favorite song from the album also isn’t as lovergirl-esque as the rest of the album. Honestly, “Territorial” is a bit of a toxic song, but we are mature enough to recognize that.

Like “Silk Lingerie,” it isn’t as slow as the rest of the album. It’s feistier and a bit menacing, like a siren singing you down to the depths of your doom.

The mix of piano, strings and drums work together to create that dangerous feeling, similar to the warning of a rattlesnake shaking its rattle, yet Kali’s dulcet voice still makes the song spellbinding and serene.

Kali says things like “I get reckless I can’t help it,” “You should know what’s mine is mine,” “I’ll be the villain in your story” and “My claws come out fast when they try to crawl to my territory,” a sharp contrast to the soft, docile persona she’s presented throughout the rest of the album. 

Kali knows she’s showing a different side of herself. “You’re getting me out of character,” she says later followed by another acknowledgement of her change of character 

“I’m a lover, but I’ll go to war about mine,” she says, again acknowledging that although she has a reputation for being a romantic, being a lovergirl comes with side effects. 

Yet Kali still preserves that goddess energy, even if it’s in a sarcastic way. She interpolates Elvis’s “(You’re The) Devil in Disguise” before warning those who are after her loved one that although she may look like an angel, there’s danger inside her.

Even though this song is a bit more bellicose than the other tracks, to me it still fits in with the hopeless romantic ensemble of “Sincerely,” 

Maybe it’s that monkey-brain instinct of ours coming through, but once you’ve fallen in love or have someone you care about there is something within that tells us you need to make sure no one takes them from you. 

So, although it is a bit of an ugly emotion, being slightly territorial over your partner is a relatively normal part of being in love.

3. “It’s Just Us”

“It’s Just Us” is peak lovergirl. It’s a song that shows exactly what it’s like to be enveloped by love and filled with those giddy emotions that make you physically glow, make your heart race and make your tummy fill with butterflies.

Kali again brings in that theme of idealizing her partner, “the way you are is fascinating,” Kali says, a sign of how utterly in love she is. Fascination with the person you’re falling in love with is another sweet part of the enamoration process. 

Kali really speaks to that honeymoon phase where you can’t get enough of everything this person thinks, everything they do and everything they say.

It’s also a very confessional song for Kali. In it she details hard parts of her life like her being kicked out of the house as a teen and having negative thoughts that would consume her life.

In this song, Kali recognizes that this love that she feels in her life has been healing for her, allowing her to let her worries float away. This love is infinite, it’s heavenly and pure.

As a Kali fan, it’s very satisfactory to see her finally find a love that makes her feel like this. As a hopeless romantic, this song lifts my spirits so much. It feels like dreaming of your special someone, dancing with them with your arms wrapped around their neck, or seeing the sun reflect off their eyes.

Songs like this remind me why I am a hopeless romantic.  It’s sweet to think that someone’s smile can really change your “brain chemistry” or that someone’s love can help you rearrange your mind to “be in peace.” 

4. “Sunshine & Rain…”

“Sunshine & Rain…” absolutely set the tone for this album, seeing as it was the first single released from it.  It is one of my absolute favorites andit honestly should be higher than it is on this list.

This song is the epitome of healing, and knowing the background of it makes it resonate even more. Kali used this album to heal from her mother’s passing, and it being at the end of the album feels like her finally coming to terms with her grief and loss. It’s significant and declarative. 

Like Kali, we’ve all been through hardships, hardships which can often make it hard to keep an optimistic outlook on life. Kali says, “I do nothin’ in the dark ‘cause I believe in karma,” showing that despite people having done bad things to her, she knows her heart will keep her safe from harm. 

This song is a reminder to find the good in everything, regardless of what you’ve gone through. To live life with pure intentions and to live and let live.

The lyrics in this song mirror a lot of the doubts and frustrations that I have for myself, as I’m sure a lot of others do as well. Being frustrated for loving too deeply or caring too much, being frustrated at giving your love to the wrong people, being frustrated at our emotions for running rampant, thinking with our heart instead of our mind. 

My favorite line from the first verse is “When will I forgive my heart for always getting me in trouble?” because it truly depicts the frustrating situation that one can find themselves in when they love too deeply. 

However, in verse two Kali reminds us that feeling deeply is not something to be ashamed of but to wholeheartedly embrace. “I’ve always been a hopeless romantic” Kali says, “No matter how many times it went and did me damage.”

Kali’s song has a silver lining, which can serve as hope for all hopeless romantics that also deal with loving too hard. “Maybe I’ll be that somebody ‘cause you’re that//someone to me,” Kali says, signifying that she has found someone who gives that love back to her like no one has before.

Loving deeply will never be a flaw to Kali, instead it is a strength that shows your humanity.

5. “Lose My Cool,”

Honestly, “Lose My Cool,” and “Angels All Around Me…” were fighting it out for this spot and “Angels All Around Me…” came very close to winning but there is just something about the second part of “Lose My Cool,” that makes me ascend. 

Right about the 2:40 mark, the most romantic song starts and my heart melts. It’s a wholesome ballad for her love, a love that stuck with her despite her trying to run away from her feelings, a love that makes her lose sleep in the best of ways.

The second part of “Lose My Cool,” is an absolute masterpiece. The constant repetition of the line “I don’t know what you’ve done to me//But suddenly, I’m feeling things//I just can’t control” is hypnotizing, engulfing the listener in the overwhelming sensations that Kali is feeling.  

She has lost all control over how she feels but this is not a bad thing. Instead, it means that she is finally able to sink into her love, let go of all her worries, and devote herself to her love.

Part two of “Lose My Cool,” shows exactly what it’s like to helplessly fall in love. To fall in love, without realizing, and to be in so deep that you never want to leave the enchanting realm where it’s only you, the other person and no one else.

Kali tells her love, “Don’t let go//Just keep holding on to love” as she is finally ready to accept this captivating care. Kali has found true love, she’s found someone that keeps her safe, and she’s so exhilarated by this love that she has to sing it out to the world–as can be heard through her ethereal whistle notes which fill the backdrop of the song.

There is so much emotion mixed into the second part of “Lose My Cool,” you can’t help but feel love’s embrace while listening to it. It’s a beautiful song that I absolutely adore. 

I would not be lying if I said that each song on this album could have a spot on my top five and genuinely deserve it in my eyes. Alone each song is dreamy and heavenly in its own right, but together each song works cohesively to create the perfect amorous synthesis.

“Sincerely,” is especially overflowing with emotions and candidness. Perhaps that’s part of the reason the album got its title, it’s sincere and confessional. 

Considering that Kali wrote this album as part of her healing journey for the passing of her mother and to deal with the intense emotions that come with being a new mother, it’s admirable to see how comfortable she was with sharing that intimate part of herself with her fans.  

Kali Uchis’s genuineness is exactly the thing that distinguishes her music from other musical artists’. Kali knows she is an emotional person but it’s her sensitive nature which allows her to make such soulful, honest and introspective art.

You can feel pieces of Kali’s soul in every song that she creates, and that’s why it touches the hearts of so many people worldwide.

As a hopeless romantic since birth, it’s no surprise that this album has made its way into, not only my heart, but my favorite Kali Uchis albums.

Arien is the Opinion Editor for the University Daily Kansan. She is a senior majoring in journalism and minoring in political science. She loves writing about current events, politics, music, movie and food reviews and supporting her community. In her free time she enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family and playing with her cat.

This article was edited by Editor-in-Chief Emily Harter. If the information in this article needs to be corrected, please contact emily.harter@ku.edu

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