Amaarae Switches Genres and Turns Up the Heat on Her Electrifying Black Star
The boundary-pushing singer’s latest album is a masterclass in controlled hedonism
Hedonism in pop music is a balancing act, push too far, and it becomes self-indulgent; hold back too much, and the energy fizzles. On her third album, Black Star, Ghanaian-American artist Amaarae nails the formula, blending dizzying luxury, globe-spanning sounds, and head-over-heels romance into a 13-track thrill ride.
Amaarae has always had a taste for the finer things. Her 2020 breakout, Sad Girlz Luv Money, fused her airy soprano with thumping beats and an unapologetic hook: “Get the fuck outta my way, I’m gonna get paid, yuh.” But here, she dives deeper into the club. The opening track, Stuck Up, pairs jagged, pulsating synths with a rush of adrenaline, a sharp contrast to the lush, string-filled opener of 2023’s Fountain Baby. From there, Black Star becomes a sweaty, lust-charged journey, with Amaarae in full command of the pleasure dial, for herself and any lucky dance-floor companions.
Her guest list is as bold as her sound, bedroom pop darling PinkPantheress, funk icon Charlie Wilson, and hyperpop innovator Bree Runway all make appearances. Together, they help Amaarae dance through past and future club sounds. On the giddy Girlie-Pop!, Jersey club beats collide with glitchy synths as she brags about “switching genres till we make it pop.” On Starkilla, she reels off a 23rd-century cocktail of narcotics, while on She Is My Drug, she playfully flips a Cher classic and turns the word “rain” into a hypnotic chant.
It’s not all high-octane beats and luxury highs. The PinkPantheress collaboration Kiss Me Thru The Phone Pt. 2 transforms the “Thong Song” strings into a delicate, music-box melody, with lyrics about unrequited desire that add a slightly darker edge to the glittery soundscape. But no matter the mood, Amaarae’s gaze is always fixed on the next club, the next conquest, and the next unforgettable night.
With Black Star, Amaarae proves she’s more than just a genre-bender, she’s a master architect of mood, weaving sensuality, adventure, and sonic surprise into a record that’s as decadent as it is daring.