After a long awaited three years, musician Melanie Martinez finally gave fans the album they were craving. The release, combined with the singer’s new artistic look and calculated steps, sets her apart from the rest of the music industry. On March 31, Martinez released “Portals,” rebranding herself from school girl to fairy queen.

The album starts out with the song “Death,” which is the rebirth of Martinez in her new look and style. This song was released as a single before “Portals,” and gave fans a sneak peek into the masterpiece. She also released little snippets of multiple songs on TikTok, so “Portals” already had a mass amount of fans before the official launch date.

The album centers around leaving a toxic relationship and reinventing one’s self. “The Contortionist” is by far my favorite on the list, the sound effects and meaningful lyrics truly set the song apart. The song is about a person twisting and changing themself to be perfect for their significant other. She uses the sounds of bones snapping throughout the song to fit the theme. Ultimately, I don’t think this is a breakup album, rather a self reflection on a bad relationship with hostility towards the abuser. 

These songs are perfect for late night driving with the windows down screaming at the top of one’s lungs. “Nymphology” is the peak of this feeling, and every time this song comes on, I instantly turn the volume all the way up. The anger towards the social pressure women feel on how to look and act has never been expressed so passionately in a song. Martinez did an outstanding job with conveying her message in this album.

Martinez’s last album “K-12” included a movie with the release describing the story and performing the songs. Most fans speculated she would do the same for “Portals,” and she confirmed there is a script for this album as well. Personally, I think a film for “Portals” has an opportunity to either continue the storyline of the previous albums or address current social issues.

Overall this album was a huge success and truly lived up to the expectations. “Portals” is an album that does not have one bad song. Each lyric conveys a message with a significant meaning. Martinez rocked the music world with this release, and I hope to see a movie in the future.

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