Ever since his YouTube debut in 2007, Troye Sivan has captivated his audience with his unique voice, perspective, and story. His YouTube channel, currently boasting 251,045,010 views, kickstarted his music career and set him up for stardom, not only as a singer, but as a role model for the LGBTQ+ community. Last week, the award-winning Australian artist released his second album titled “Bloom,” which has been called the most positively rated album of 2018 thus far. With five hit singles already released, the album was set up for success.
The five singles that were released prior to the album, “My My My!” “The Good Side,” “Bloom,” “Dance To This (feat. Ariana Grande),” and “Animal,” set up the perfect precedent as to what fans were to expect upon hearing the rest of the album. The tracks selected are a mixed bunch of slower tunes and more upbeat dance songs, each revolving around the ideas of love, relationships, and even heartbreak.
Sivan openly talks about his sexuality in both his work as an artist and in his everyday life, and has stated that he wants to make “unapologetic music for queer people.” “Bloom” beautifully demonstrates this desire with themes of love and self-expression, which are present throughout the album in songs such as “Seventeen,” “What a Heavenly Way to Die,” and “My My My!” His open use of male nouns when referring to his significant other throughout the course of the album, such as in the lyrics “An ode to the boy I love / Boy, I’ll die to care for you” in the song “Animal,” and “and boy I’ll meet you right there” in the song “Bloom,” creates a casual, open dialogue for those questioning their sexuality and gives a safe space for those who are already out of the closet.
These themes are best demonstrated in the concluding song, “Animal.” Throughout the album, Sivan references many different relationships from throughout his life and ones that he hopes for in the future, whether they be brief or long-term. The desire for love but the fear of commitment is relevant is heavily focused on, such as in the song “Plum” in the lyrics “Maybe our time has come / Maybe we’re overgrown / Even the sweetest plum / Has only got so long,” in which he is reminiscing on old times with his lover but realizing that things should end. In “Animal,” Sivan is over this fear and not afraid to tell this person how he feels, present in the lyrics “I want you all to myself / Don’t leave none for nobody else.”
Overall, this album represents growth, both for Sivan as a person pursuing love and getting over heartache and as an artist looking to expand their portfolio, making “Bloom” a fitting title. Filled with diverse anthems made for a diverse group of people, “Bloom” successfully accomplishes its goals and leaves fans waiting for the next album to drop.
9/10
Grace Barnett // Staff Writer
