Review | Seductive R&B meets smooth pop in new Kali Uchis album, 'Red Moon in Venus'

On March 3, singer and songwriter Kali Uchis released her third studio album, “Red Moon in Venus” which focuses on themes of love. Photo collage by SIMRAH AHMAD, staff photographer

A red moon, also known as a blood moon, is when the Earth’s moon is in total lunar eclipse. It is a striking image in the sky to see the typically white orb transform into a daunting hue of red. Although it holds no real astrological significance, the red moon signifies starting over.

During a month spent celebrating the success and beauty of women, Kali Uchis dropped her third album “Red Moon in Venus" on March 3. The album explores themes of love, both with others and within yourself. 

“Love is the message,” Uchis’ website reads regarding the album. “‘Red Moon in Venus’ is a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus.”

Uchis is a Colombian-American singer, songwriter and producer known for her unique blend of R&B and pop. She gained attention with her debut EP, "Por Vida," which was released in 2015. Her debut album, "Isolation," earned the ninth spot on Billboard’s list of the Top 50 albums released in 2018.

“Red Moon in Venus” has received praise from fans on TikTok and Twitter, as well as reviews online calling it “engaging from start to finish and consistently palatable.” The vinyl is also sold out on her website.

“Red Moon in Venus” opens with "in My Garden…," a dreamy and atmospheric track that sets the tone. The track is only 24 seconds long and brings the listener into Uchis’ world. With its lush production and lack of lyrics, the song feels like a journey into the rest of the album. 

"I Wish You Roses" was released as a single for this album and displays Uchis’ emotive power. The song is like a wave goodbye to someone who has left, wishing them well, but also knowing they’ll miss you. Her lyrics read, “I wish you love, I wish you well / I wish you roses while you can still smell them.” The song has already surpassed 30 million streams on Spotify.

Under the lyrics on Spotify is a message from Uchis reading, “This song is all about releasing people with love. Whether it be old friends, old lovers, whoever you may have had to let go in life; the departed. This song is about putting out into the world what you want to receive back; getting your flowers while you can still smell them. Too many people only give you your flowers once you’re no longer in this world, and I believe wishing well to everyone is a crucial part of making room for blessings to come into because when you wish the worst for others you only curse yourself.”

Although Uchis’ voice shines on its own, the album contains features from artists Omar Apollo, Don Toliver and Summer Walker. These tracks showcase Uchis’ ability to collaborate with other talented musicians in the R&B genre by bringing new voices to her songs while still keeping her sultry vibe throughout.

"Worth the Wait" is a track that features a collaboration with Apollo. The song is a celebration of love and intimacy, with Uchis and Apollo singing about what it’s like to be in a fresh relationship and wanting to spend every moment together. “I want to be around you every day,” reads Uchis’ lyrics as she sings to her new lover.

Uchis and Walker come together in "Deserve Me," a song about wanting to get over a breakup and feeling sexy in the dating world again. Uchis sings, “I like it better when you're gone / I feel a little less alone.” Even now that she is out of the relationship and by herself, she feels less lonely than when she was dating this love.

Before listening to this album, I had only ever heard of Uchis from friends who talked about being fans of her music. “Red Moon in Venus” allowed me to finally form my own opinion on Uchis as an artist. After my first listen through, I understood why I hadn’t turned on her music earlier.

Although the album sounds like a piece of art with Uchis’ ethereal voice creating the perfect sound for a vibey song, her breathy singing and focus on production over lyric quality is not my style. I found myself struggling to tell the songs apart from each other and it was almost impossible to pick a favorite track due to them all sounding so similar.

In “Not Too Late (Interlude)” the line “It’s not too late to admit you love me” and in “Happy Now” with the line “Can we be happy now?”— these lines make up more than half of each song. Although she is consistent with her sound, unfortunately it’s not a sound I find myself enjoying.

While this album had some interesting musical ideas and attempts at genre fusion, it ultimately fell short in terms of its overall execution. Despite the album having its moments, it struggled to hold my attention throughout its entirety. Next time, I’ll stick to staring at the sky waiting for a red moon rather than depending on Uchis to bring the moment to life.