February 14 is Valentine’s Day, which also makes it a fitting occasion for the release of Grammy Award–winning artist Alessia Cara’s new album “Love and Hyperbole.” The color red is often associated with the holiday, and while it compliments the album’s name and visuals, there is more to the meaning than meets the eye.
“Red, especially the specific wine color that’s on the album cover, felt very sophisticated and rich,” Cara said. “I think the contrast of the warmth and the cool tones were very indicative of what the album means to me, which is about contrast and how we need contrast in life.”
While the theme of love is certainly notable, where does hyperbole come from? According to Cara, the theme of hyperbole comes from a place of humor and also ties in with the aforementioned topic of love.
“When you’re in love in a positive way or feeling heartbreak in a not so positive way, a lot of those things can feel very dramatic,” Cara said. “Sometimes things surrounding love can feel like the end of the world. I think hyperbole is just about the exaggerated emotions I was truthfully feeling.”
The themes of this album are not the only intriguing parts, as Cara spoke about the production process and being able to record with live musicians.
“I love live music so much. Music from the fifties, sixties and seventies, that was all made predominantly live. Getting to do that this time around, and make the music that I’ve always wanted to make in the way I’ve always wanted to make just felt super exciting,” she said.
Cara feels that one of the most personal songs on the album is a track called “Fire.”
“This song feels super personal to me because it’s the first time that I’ve written about love in a happy, free way without ambitions or fear of anything. It’s just like a love letter,” she said.
In addition to crafting this new album, Cara has also performed pop-up concerts in cities, including Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto. Because the album’s original release date was pushed back, Cara wanted to do something special to give back to the fans in the meantime. These performances were located in small and intimate venues, which conjured up memories for Cara of when she first began performing.
“It was so fun to get to do that,” Cara said. “It felt like some of my days performing in little bars or at little town shows at school. It just felt like going back to my roots of playing acoustic for a few people.”
Because of the intimate setting, these shows also allowed for Cara to closely connect with the fans in attendance.
“I love playing intimate shows like that because you get to see everybody’s faces and hear them singing along. It’s really special,” she said.
Whether it is live in-concert or in the studio, Cara makes sure to produce memorable music and experiences for her fans. “Love and Hyperbole” projects to do the same and continue her evolution as an artist.