Good songwriting, nothing revolutionary.

Ella Red is a pop artist that came onto the scene with more ethereal, soft music that has captivated audiences. She has put herself within a lane that continues to grow in popularity. Some listeners may find her style a bit too familiar, but there is still a clear appeal in the emotion she brings to her music. It’s Not Real is her latest project, and it is easy to understand why it connects with listeners. Her writing is thoughtful, and she glides over ambient, well-produced instrumentals with smooth, layered vocals.

Across the album, Red leans heavily into mood and atmosphere. The production is consistently strong, filled with reverberated textures and subtle details that give each track a more polished feel. “Cupid” is the biggest example of this ambient nature that is found on the album. It is a relatively quiet song in the grand scheme of things, but this quiet nature comes in combination with some amazing songwriting. Alternatively, songs like “Party Animal” are more groovy, with a consistent kick pattern, harsh synths and a beat that makes listeners want to dance.

However, much of the project treads on already established ground. At many points, her sound closely resembles that of many other artists. The more uplifting and danceable songs closely resemble those of artists like FKA Twigs and PinkPantheress. The softer songs closely mirror the sound of Billie Eilish, whether it be in lyrics, vocal presence or production. Melanie Martinez is the artist that is most captured by Red on this project. While not necessarily a negative, the album comes off as an uninspired attempt to bite style. Looking at the project in this light makes it ultimately fall flat.

To put it simply, It’s Not Real does better in execution than in originality. The production is clean, the vocals are controlled and expressive and the writing is beautiful in its emotion. The lyricism is consistently well-written, offering introspection without going too far. Red explores themes of identity, emotion, and perception in a way that feels grounded, even when the sonic backdrop leans into abstraction. 

The one standout track is “He Asked For It.” It is a fierce track that sees Red embrace a persona that is aggressive, threatening to kill a man that wronged her. The lyricism on this track is beautifully brutal and the brash nature of lines like, “Digging like a dog for your casket, casket/Thought you said you like your girls savage” is incredible.

Overall, It’s Not Real is a polished project that highlights Ella Red’s strengths as a musician, singer and writer. It may not break new ground, but its strong production is enough to consider it an overall enjoyable project that fits in the genre well.