Khalid Robinson erupted onto the music scene. He went from a Sound Cloud singer, to dropping one of the most listened to albums of 2017 so far. His groovy vibes and smooth voice catch the listener’s attention automatically. The army brat moved all over the world as a young man and didn’t really have a place he considered home; that is, until he moved to El Paso, Texas. This move to El Paso inspired him to release his debut album, American Teen.

The first track on the album is fittingly called “American Teen”. Khalid starts off the album with an upbeat rhythm that makes the listener want to break into dance. He sings about El Paso and its girls. “I’m from the city of the 915 where all the girls are pretty.” This line and the rest of the song shows his appreciation to El Paso and how much the city brought him in. The entire song is full of good vibes that set up the mood of the album.

Another featured track on American Teen is titled “Young, Dumb and Broke.” Khalid had posted snippets and teases of this track on his twitter (@thegreatkhalid) prior to the album. The track has a unique beat compared to the rest of the album and seems to be a possible banger, but the song contains sad undertones. The very first line gives off that the song has a deeper message than what it seems like. “So you’re still thinking of me, just like I know you should.” This line shifts the mood of the album and suggests that there is more to Khalid then going out with the bros and having a good time. It only makes sense that this track is a fan favorite.

There are other songs where Khalid really peels some layers back. Some of these songs include “Therapy”, “Shot Down”, and “Saved.” In “Saved” the 19-year-old talks about going through break ups and tough times with a significant other. His lyrics hit the heard of many young teenagers in America. “But I’ll keep your number saved cause I hope one day you get the sense to call me.” These lyrics represent a relationship that ended roughly and maybe that should not have ended. The song “Therapy” takes it even further. Khalid sings about falling in love and how great it is but as the song continues the relationship spirals out of control and leads to uncertainty between the two. The end of the song ends in a voice mail left by a woman saying how much she misses him and loves him. As the message continues the lady says “I didn’t think things would end up this way.” The part that has been driving his fan base crazy comes after the voice mail. Khalid types up and message in which the listeners can hear his phone typing. Suddenly, the sound changes into the keyboard hitting backspace and erasing the text. Fans all over the US have been trying to get him to spill what he erased. However, they have not mustered up enough luck.

“American Teen” is an incredibly well put together album full of good vibes and deep messages. The album represents the American dream and accomplishing what you’re striving for. Khalid’s debut album has made a lot of noise and with good reason. Keep an eye out for his new music coming out in the future!