The Khia Asylum can fight me because I thought Meghan Trainor's new album was an absolute smash hit. As I was informed by a friend when I mentioned her album, Trainor is part of a new phenomenon referred to as the "Khia Asylum" which refers to artists who have not achieved stardom or who flopped after a short era of success. However, if we count the sheer number of times I have streamed Toy With Me since its release on April 24, we'd probably find that I could single-handedly support Trainor's career. So, what makes this album so exceptional? What makes Toy with Me worth a listen?
First and foremost, Meghan Trainor has something absolutely addictive in her melodies. Stylistically, she tends towards bubblegum pop, and this album was no exception. "Princess" had me dancing down the streets like I was in a rom-com. "Angels" had me bopping around the streets doing the goofiest air punches. "Get In Girl" had me singing along before the full album was even released! What really stood out in Toy With Me, though, was the influence from the oldies. Filled with that good old doo-wop swing and the groovy rhythms, listeners cannot miss the throwbacks throughout the album. In a world where that feel-good music seems to be slipping away, Meghan Trainor's return to bee-bop roots was absolutely refreshing.
Next, let's talk about content. In an interview with Billboard, Trainor said, "I think nowadays just with social media everyone’s really mean and loud, and it seems like the meanest comment wins these days. I think we’re living in a very hateful time and it’s really sad." Recently, Trainor has been facing a lot of criticism for her body, which audiences feel no longer aligns with her 2014 smash-hit, "All About That Bass." While I'm not a big fan of Ozempic personally, I can absolutely respect Trainor's desire to stay in shape, both for her kids and for her career. I think people missed the message of "All About That Bass" entirely; it's about not criticizing women's bodies. But I digress. All the hate Trainor has received, she reports, absolutely shaped her new album. That messaging comes out clearly in "Still Don't Care," as she sings, "Said I was too thick, then I got way too thin. And I try to stand out, but I wanna fit in." The world is far too concerned with people's bodies, and Trainor is teaching young girls to love themselves again.
In fact, if I had one word to describe Trainor’s album, it would be ‘fearless.’ Especially in a world where it feels like every other song is about sex and drugs, Trainor’s self-love messaging is so powerful, and of course Toy With Me did not miss out on her canonically famous positivity. At the same time, she was also unafraid to get vulnerable and raw. For example, as much as "Princess" had me dancing, it also made me pause and think: "Give it up for the dress, 'cause it hides that I'm broken … you wouldn't believe the hurt I could handle for so many years." I adore her dedication to shattering that illusion of the perfect 'princess,' even as she continues to respect herself, her body and her mental space. I think what's most powerful about Meghan Trainor's music is how true it is to her. Struggling with her body? She writes songs about women struggling with their bodies. Struggling with motherhood? She's unafraid to write about it. My only real critique is that some of the album felt like it was leaning too far into criticizing other people rather than uplifting herself and her fans. Still, I think that's one of the hardest balances for an artist to strike, and Trainor still does a pretty good job at it, choosing to focus on positivity even in her discussion of 'harder' topics such as breakups and insecurities.
I also think the story behind Toy With Me is invaluable in appreciating the album. At first, I admit, I was a little lost as to how the album all connected. It felt like half man-hater breakup songs, half self-love, with a sprinkle of motherhood. In particular, I was thrown off by the inclusion of "Little One," which is a ballad about Trainor's desire to protect her children from the world, even as she realizes they must grow up. In her interview with Ryan Seacrest though, she explains that much of the album was actually written for her children. She combines songs such as the aforementioned "Little One" (which features a voice clip from her two sons) with songs that are meant to guide her newborn daughter Mikey in the future. Having also witnessed a close personal friend going through a breakup, she was working to write songs that were full of girl power and ones that would give her little ones some motherly advice.
Clearly, I could rave about every single aspect of this album for hours, but instead let's end with my album 'must listens.' I've mentioned many songs throughout, but my personal favorite has to be "Angels." It's bubbly, it's about loving others and it's just utterly magnetic. Then, the aforementioned "Little One" which captured my heart and my ear; those riffs are just stunning! After that, you'll have to give me about a hundred more listens to decide which of Toy With Me's songs deserves third. Because, honestly? I thought they were all fantastic.
Which leads me to my final message: get listening! And as Trainor would surely say, don't forget to love yourself a little today.
Emily Federovitch is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a contributor for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at eaf258@cornell.edu.
