Last year, Olamide dropped YBNL Mafia Family, an overstuffed and ultimately forgettable compilation project, which had only one bright spot: Fireboy DML. “Jealous”, the 23-year-old’s solo effort on the mixtape, deservedly turned him into a breakout star.
Since the success of that song, Fireboy has pushed two more fantastic singles, “What If I Say” and the previously released “King”. Now, in what has to be record time, the rising star has come out with his ambitious debut album, Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps.
On the 13-track project, Fireboy proves he is the real deal. Not only does he sound amazing, showcasing his astonishing voice on songs like “Need You” and “Feel”, but he is also a really intuitive songwriter – effortlessly alternating between funny and moving.
He thoughtfully tackles a number of topics, from struggling to balance love and stardom on “Gbas Gbos”, to the importance of appreciating our loved ones on “High On Life”. Even when he is simply singing about love, he finds a way to make the overdone topic feel fresh.
Even more impressive than the overall quality of the songs, is the fact that Fireboy does it all on his own. It takes a lot of confidence to drop a debut album without any features, but as the project proves, Fireboy is talented and versatile enough pull it off.
All in all, Laugher, Tears & Goosebumps is an astonishing debut from Fireboy, filled with smartly-written love songs and perfectly-produced party-starters. The project will undoubtedly be regarded as one of the year’s most impressive releases.
Listen to Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps below:
