IRL (album)
IRL | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 14 July 2023 | |||
Genre | R&B[1] | |||
Length | 44:33 | |||
Label | Warner Music | |||
Producer | ||||
Mahalia chronology | ||||
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Singles from IRL | ||||
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IRL (initialism for In Real Life) is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Mahalia. The album was released on 14 July 2023 through Warner Music.[2] The album was inspired by the singer's "traumatic breakup" and her visits to "therapy".[3] In support of the album, Mahalia embarked on a tour of the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and Australia, commencing in October 2023 in Leeds[4] and concluding in Brisbane, Australia on 8 May 2024.[5][6]
Critical reception
[edit]Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 7.2/10[7] |
Metacritic | 80/100[8] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
DIY | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Line of Best Fit | 7/10[10] |
NME | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Skinny | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
IRL received a score of 80 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on six critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[8] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.2 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. Elle Barton of DIY called the album a "delight", writing that it strikes "a perfect balance between familiarity and unpredictability, immediate choruses coexisting with a relaxed, breezy sound".[9] NME's Erica Campbell described the album as "bold, vulnerable, classic R&B", with IRL "reflect[ing] a young woman fully becoming herself, not just confidently throwing her hands up but boldly letting her guard down too".[1]
Red Dziri of The Line of Best Fit wrote that "Mahalia is not casting as wide a net as she did in her career-defining debut" and "if IRL is not as consistent as her previous output, this new album still cements Mahalia as a major R&B/Soul fixture both nationally and abroad".[10] Lucy Fitzgerald, reviewing the album for The Skinny, found it to be "satiny and consistent, [but] sonically and lyrically you're eager for some bigger swings. [...] IRL is like a path reflecting dappled sunlight: we can see patches of brightness but its full light is obscured".[11]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Ready" |
|
| 3:01 |
2. | "In My Bag" |
|
| 3:49 |
3. | "Terms and Conditions" |
| 3:29 | |
4. | "In My Head" (featuring Joyce Wrice) |
|
| 3:30 |
5. | "Cheat" (featuring JoJo) |
| 3:22 | |
6. | "November" (featuring Stormzy) |
|
| 3:34 |
7. | "Hey Stranger" |
|
| 2:43 |
8. | "Isn't It Strange?" |
| 2:43 | |
9. | "It's Not Me, It's You" (featuring Destin Conrad) |
|
| 3:45 |
10. | "Wassup" (featuring Kojey Radical) |
|
| 3:46 |
11. | "Lose Lose" |
|
| 3:24 |
12. | "Goodbyes" |
|
| 3:57 |
13. | "IRL" |
|
| 3:30 |
Total length: | 44:33 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
14. | "Slowly" | 3:08 |
15. | "Mani Pedi" | 3:11 |
16. | "Bag of You" | 3:18 |
17. | "Terms and Conditions (Live) - Vevo Studio Performance" | 3:37 |
18. | "Letter to Ur Ex" | 2:15 |
19. | "Plastic Plants" | 3:20 |
Total length: | 63:22 |
Notes
- ^[a] signifies an additional producer.
- ^{v] signifies a vocal producer.
- ^[s] signifies a strings producer.
Personnel
[edit]Musicians
- Mahalia – vocals
- JD Reid – keyboards, programming (1, 4–13); drums (1, 4–10, 12, 13), additional vocals (5, 6, 9–11, 13)
- Max Pope – bass guitar (1, 9, 13), guitar (1, 4–7, 9, 11–13)
- Benjamin Stefan Hart – backing vocals (1, 6), additional vocals (9)
- Abby-Lynn Keen – backing vocals (2)
- TheElements – backing vocals (2), bass guitar (2, 3), drums (2, 3), guitar (2), keyboards (2, 3), programming (2, 3), strings (3)
- Raye – backing vocals (3)
- James McMillan – keyboards (3)
- Joyce Wrice – vocals (4)
- Rosie Danvers – string arrangement (5)
- Spencer Stewart – string arrangement, programming, synthesizer (5)
- Wired Strings[a] – string orchestra (5)
- JoJo – vocals (5)
- Lea Vivyen – piano (6, 13)
- Stormzy – vocals (6)
- Daniel Traynor – keyboards, programming, synthesizer (8)
- Destin Conrad – vocals (9)
- James Essien – additional vocals (10)
- Kojey Radical – vocals (10)
- Cameron Dawson – bass guitar (11)
Technical
- Stuart Hawkes – mastering
- Geoff Swan – mixing
- JD Reid – engineering (1, 4–12)
- TheElements – engineering (2, 3)
- Matt Barnes – engineering (3), vocal engineering (3, 4)
- Spencer Stewart – engineering (5)
- Grades – engineering (8)
- Alex Robinson – vocal engineering (2)
- Isabel Gracefield – string engineering (5)
- James Kirk – additional vocal engineering (5)
- Carlos Mas – additional vocal engineering (10)
- Max Blue Churchill – vocal engineering assistance (3)
- Max Anstruther – string engineering assistance (5)
Charts
[edit]Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ)[12] | 24 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] | 81 |
UK Albums (OCC)[14] | 31 |
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[15] | 2 |
Release history
[edit]Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | 14 July 2023 | Warner Music | [16][17][18] |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Campbell, Erica (13 July 2023). "Mahalia: IRL review: bold, vulnerable, classic R&B". NME. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ "Mahalia Announces 'IRL' Album Release and UK Tour Dates". V13. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Lauren Spencer Smith Announces Debut Studio Album Mirror". NME. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ JOSHLOMAT (9 October 2023). "UK & EUROPE!! The @mahalia tour starts today with my brothers @noguidnce Pull up & bring your energy, it's gonna be a movie! Tickets are still available for certain dates. NG2DAWORLD". Instagram. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ "MAHALIA ANNOUNCES 2024 NORTH AMERICA LEG OF THE 'IN REAL LIFE' TOUR". Live Nation Entertainment. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ Fry, Courtney (25 January 2024). "Mahalia is bringing her In Real Life tour to Australia". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Triple J. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Mahalia – IRL". AnyDecentMusic?. 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b "IRL by Mahalia Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b Barton, Elle (13 July 2023). "Mahalia: IRL review". DIY. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b Dziri, Red (12 July 2023). "Mahalia: In Real Life Review". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b Fitzgerald, Lucy (10 July 2023). "Mahalia album review: IRL". The Skinny. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2023. 29. hét". MAHASZ. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ "IRL by Mahalia". Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "IRL[VINYL]:Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl". Amazon Music. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "IRL by Mahalia on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 June 2023.