The cover of pop artist Samia’s LP Honey calls to mind the cover of Joni Mitchell’s timeless Blue; both depict their artists shaded in a deep hue with a raw, all-knowing expression. On this confident self-portrait of a record, Samia takes risks, the most significant being choosing vulnerability over icy coolness (just as Joni would). In her stream-of-consciousness lyrics, Samia confesses her desires and screams her sadness and joys. Her strength is her fearlessness, as she writes about “percolatin,’ breathin,’ dancin,’ dyin’” in her late 20s.
Best Pop Album
