Key Takeaways:
- The album features 15 tracks with all-women collaborations, including Chlöe, GloRilla, and H.E.R.
- It explores themes of heartbreak, self-discovery, and emotional growth, with standout tracks like “overtime” and “know about me.”
- Drawing from real-life experiences, Halle delivers her most personal work yet.
Listening to Halle’s debut studio album — her first full-length project since dropping “Angel” in 2023 — feels like reading pages from her diary. love? or something like it is the singer’s most complete body of work to date, and as far as reintroductions go, it’s a stunning one.
Released on Friday (Oct. 24), the 15-track effort includes features from GloRilla, Mariah the Scientist, H.E.R., and, unsurprisingly, her sister Chlöe. The singer and actress gave fans a handful of singles before its arrival — announced just two weeks in advance — with “In Your Hands,” “Because I Love You,” and her most recent drop, “Braveface.”
As far as new material goes, there’s plenty to love here. After the opener, Halle sings about men working extra hard for her affection “all because you couldn’t treat her right” on the aptly titled track “overtime.” Then, on the GloRilla-assisted “know about me,” she slips between singing and talk-rapping, reminding us she’s not as innocent as she might seem. “You don't know / I'm no angel, but this halo give you wings,” the Little Mermaid actress croons.
Halle clearly had no shortage of real-life experiences to pour into this project, from falling in love and welcoming her first child with DDG (whom she seemingly references on “interlude 2”) to rediscovering herself in the aftermath of their split. “I know that we are young and the world is rolling their eyes / And there's every obstacle laid before us, so it's no wonder we fight,” she sings on “bite your lip,” for example.
Other noteworthy moments on the album include the highly anticipated Chloe x Halle reunion on “feel again,” her emotional duet “alone” with Mariah, and “his type.” Stream the project below.
On Thursday (Oct. 23), Halle shared why she chose to only feature women on love? or something like it. “We understand each other, especially when it comes to love and heartbreak,” she told Billboard’s Tetris Kelly.