My First Love: American Teen by Khalid

There comes a time in every girl’s life when she has her first. Her first album. 

It was 2017 when the smooth, sensual and catchy single, “Location,” by Khalid was catching on fire. This was the first time I heard of the El Paso artist, his lyrics and voice immediately caught my ear. Khalid then released his debut album American Teen on March 3, 2017.

I remember being curious about the music video of “Location,” so I began my dive into YouTube. There I found another song called “Shot Down;” again, his voice and lyrics captivated me. I went over to Spotify and found the rest of the album. I clicked play and let the whole album play from top to bottom. From that moment I realized what a true album was.

Each of the songs had a cohesive sound, yet they told different stories. This album sounded like a coming-of-age soundtrack, and for me, this is what I played throughout high school. 

The album starts with songs like “American Teen,” “Young Dumb & Broke,” and “Location.” These songs are more upbeat and set the scene by hitting on topics like young love and being broke in high school. One of my favorite lyrics in Young Dumb & Broke is “What’s fun about commitment? When we have our life to live,” this fully shows how careless and optimistic you feel during high school. During that time it felt like nothing could hold you back because your life was barely starting. 

Continuing along we have this amazing three-song run “Another Sad Love Song,” “Saved” and “Coaster.” I think this is where he shines the most lyrically, with love being the main theme. Love can be beautiful but also hurtful, these songs show that beauty. The production is also simple enough to let the lyrics and melodies shine. Lyrically, I loved how Khalid showed his vulnerability by poking fun at himself by saying “I guess this sounds like another love song” because I can only imagine that as a songwriter being heartbroken inspires the best stories to tell. Another great line comes from “Coaster.” In this slower song, he says, “Maybe you weren’t the one for me, but deep down I wanted you to be,” as a hopeless romantic this line hits home all the time. 

In an album, it is always important to have different sounds and vibes, and with these next three songs, he does just that. He moves into a more upbeat and optimistic tone. The songs “8TEEN,” “Let’s Go” and “Hopeless” are the songs that would fit most in a coming-of-age movie where a group of teens are riding in a car with the windows down into the sunset. The feeling of recklessness in high school bleeds throughout these songs. Lyrics like “ Leave your sorrow on the table, pick up your worries and throw them out the window,” from “Let’s Go” and “Damn, my car still smells like marijuana, my mom is gonna kill me” from 8TEEN, are emotions you feel once that ounce of independence hits you. 

Now that we have driven into the sunset with our friends it’s time when reality hits you. The album goes from an upbeat and bouncy sound to a more sonder and slow sound. After graduation, a lot of people tend to grow apart from their friends and sweethearts, and I think the final six songs show that perfectly. The songs are “Cold Blooded,” “Winter,” “Therapy,” “Keep Me,” “Shot Down” and “Angels.” Khalid mainly tackles the theme of heartbreak and when you have feelings for someone but they don’t feel the same way. This can be heard in “Therapy” when he says “Over all the others you’re the one all over me, I need your therapy” and one of my personal favorites of the album “Shot Down,”  he says “But I never knew how much our love could hurt, over my family I put you first.” For Khalid to have been as young as seventeen writing these heart-wrenching lyrics, I often hope they weren’t out of complete personal experience.

Lastly, I want to highlight the stunning outro that is “Angels.” In this piano and harmony-driven track, he speaks on how important his circle of friends is to his sanity. They are his guardian angels. Additionally, if you get a chance there is an amazing stripped-back version on YouTube that is a guaranteed tear-jerker. 

As a music nerd, this album will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first album I listened to from top to bottom and felt something. I discovered the art of albums through American Teen. It’s a must-listen if you want to feel nostalgic, uplifting and heartbreaking songs.