Albums: Rachel Chinouriri What A Devastating Turn Of Events

Rachel Chinouriri what A Devastating Turn Of Events

Garden of Eden; The Hills; Never Needed Me; My Everything; All I Ever Asked; It Is What It Is; Dumb Bitch Juice; What A Devastating Turn Of Events; My Blood; Robbed; Cold Call; I Hate Myself; Pocket; My Darling
Label: Parlophone

Rachel Chinouriri's journey to becoming a hype artist has been somewhat unconventional. After starting to release music in 2018, the indie pop songstress found herself garnering more attention following the Tik Tok viral focus on both My Darling and All I Ever Asked. Taking on a support slot for Louis Tomlinson proved to be a wise move, propelling her fanbase into even more loyal territory. When one of the most hyped-breaking artists entered 2024, the pressure was on to deliver a debut album to be proud of. Five months into the year, What a Devastating Turn of Events finally lands, but does it deliver on the promise shown over the extended period of increased media attention?

With the album boasting 14 songs in total, six have been previously released, either as singles teasing the record or harking back to early EPs and experiments. The move is an interesting one. Having always shown promise, there is no doubt that the earlier cuts are strong, but they fall short of showing the growth in her artistry during the subsequent years. Given the attention these songs have already received, it's important to consider whether they warrant a re-release and whether their inclusion fully enhances the album.

Many have hailed Chinouriri as a unique voice in an overflowing music scene. She is an artist who embraces her influences without sacrificing her unique identity in her compositions. This is somewhat true for her debut album, which boasts some truly memorable moments, but among those genius gems are a few moments of filler and falter that do not quite match the excellence of the product as a whole. At its weakest, it delivers the trend-following moments Dumb Bitch Juice and (the awful) It Is What It Is. While these songs will no doubt end up catching mainstream attention and social media placements, they are moments that break the overall pattern that defines the record.

Ditching the desire to create an earworm and simply show who she is, the brilliant Robbed and Cold Call deliver the album’s strongest moments. They are truly striking musical moments, powerful in their composition and content.

What a Devastating Turn of Events showcases an artist who is still defining where she fits within the industry. There are some truly unforgettable moments alongside those that may be best forgotten.