Perrie

Propulsive rhythms, cheerful guitar riffs, belting vocals—the recipe for cooking up a self-titled debut solo album from Little Mix alum Perrie Edwards makes use of all these ingredients. With Edwards working alongside a healthy helping of cream from the hit songwriter crop—Maegan Cottone (Little Mix, Kylie Minogue), Plested (Lewis Capaldi, Jonas Brothers) and Ed Drewett (One Direction) are among the names credited—Perrie plays out like a masterclass in folk-influenced pop. Opening with the one-two punch of sentimental Ed Sheeran co-write “Forget About Us” and the wry, he’s-just-not-that-into-you wisdom of “If He Wanted to He Would”, Edwards strikes a plain-talking, open-hearted chord that resonates throughout the entire album. “Rocket Scientist” builds up a scene of romantic disconnection into a charged anthemic chorus; “Punchline” soundtracks a sardonic look on the bright side of life’s trials and tribulations with polished funk production; the midtempo “Absofuckinglutely” narrates a marriage proposal that receives an unambiguously emphatic response. The album’s most intriguing moments however, veer away from stomp-clap optimism and waggish lyrics to maximise Edwards’ undeniable vocal talents. While the light and breezy cuts on Perrie go down easy, the standouts are “Goodbye My Friend” and “Miss You”—a sensational R&B ballad penned with Tre Jean-Marie and MNEK—both of which call to mind early-career Mariah Carey.