TREAT MYSELF
In the six busy years since Meghan Trainor released “All About That Bass,” the winking doo-wop throwback that made her a viral sensation, the Grammy-winning pop star dropped two albums, toured the world, judged TV talent shows, and collaborated with Kaskade and CNCO. But her biggest strides, she says, have come in her relationship with herself. The singer’s panoramic and upbeat third album, aptly titled *TREAT MYSELF*, honors her commitment to making music for herself rather than bending to others, and is easily her most confident work to date. She spans a broad range of styles and influences—from tender, gospel-inflected balladry (“Babygirl”) to slick R&B with “Truffle Butter”-esque synths (\"Nice to Meet Ya\" featuring Nicki Minaj)—but her sweet spot is the glossy R&B-pop that shaped her youth. “Genetics,” a slick early-oughts take on Top 40 disco funk (it even has a chorus that spells out the song title), features none other than than The Pussycat Dolls. Trainor makes a point to look ahead, too, arranging several of the collaborations here to spotlight new artists she believes in. Up-and-comers Lennon Stella and Sasha Sloan, for example, guest on “Workin’ On It,” a heartfelt resolution to be kinder to herself. “Never liked compliments ’cause it’s always been so hard believing them,” she sings, “but I’m workin’ on it.”
The pop star attempts to be all things to all people, offering an overstimulating mix of sounds and a message of self-flagellation disguised as empowerment.
At times Meghan Trainor's third album sounds like 'Glee', and at others like the 'Love Island' soundtrack. But it never sounds good
With her third major-label album, 2020's Treat Myself, Meghan Trainor continues to evolve her sound, moving beyond the retro aesthetic of 2014's Title and further embracing a mix of club-ready dance rhythms and contemporary R&B hooks.
Six years ago, Meghan Trainor couldn't have imagined herself in the position she's in now — a powerful, highly-fixated upon feminist icon in contemporary...