TROYE SIVAN’S “SOMETHING TO GIVE EACHOTHER” REVIEW
BY Amani SalahudeenTroye Sivan’s third studio album, Something to Give Each Other released on October 13th, 2023. Sivan is also known for his role in The Idol on Max (formerly HBO Max). Sivan confessed that he never meant to make an album during a pandemic, something he mentioned on an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In the Interview, Sivan said, “It was just like, I started working on it then COVID (happened), then I was filming a TV show, doing whatever. It just took a long time. I’m genuinely, like, this is the most proud I’ve ever been of anything.”
Sivan grew up doing everything in his power to squelch his identity. In an interview with NPR, Sivan explained how he didn’t feel comfortable being gay in the beginning. His new album talks about his feelings of coming out and finally embracing his entire identity. According to the NPR interview, he said, “Of course, there's a big element of pride in the fact that I am now so comfortably, openly gay. But also just musically, especially on this album, there's so many little nostalgic references to the pop that I grew up listening to — pop stars of the early noughties — even down to the choreography and the music videos. I really am doing it for 6-year-old me, who just wanted to be a pop star so badly."
Something to Give Each Other has similar themes to his other albums. Through his music he describes an overwhelming breakup, vulnerability, loneliness, and love. His previous album, Bloom, describes all the tingly feelings of first love and crushes. Something to Give Each Other is about what happens after.
Some of my favorite songs on the album are: Still Got It, Rush, Honey, What’s the Time Where You Are, & How to Stay With You. The lyrics from Still Got It that captured my attention is: “Getting used to bein' alone, but, babe/ a house don't mean a home like before, no (Ah-ah).” This demonstrates Troye’s ability to be vulnerable. He talks about his breakup in this song and the loneliness that comes with it.
Rush feels like the perfect party song. It is upbeat and is the kind of music someone could dance to. “Baby love, if you wanna show me what/ You've been schemin' up, if you wanna (Let go).” It discusses love in a more mature way. Another inspirational line from the album is from the song, What’s The Time Where You Are. The lyrics that grab a fan’s attention is: “Is it better where you are, you are?/What's the weather where you are, you are?/International through line to my heart.” The best line from Honey is: “You know/I see love in every space/I see sex in every city, every town.”
Something to Give Each Other is the perfect album for young adults to listen to as they enter their mid-twenties. Sivan is currently twenty-eight and has already gone through a breakup.This album encapsulates what it feels like to start finding yourself again after going through a breakup.