Soundcheck with Ethan

By: Ethan Barrocas

💌 – means highlight track

Sincerely, by Kali Uchis, is her most personal record yet, coming from the deepest places in her heart. She highlights the happiness and grief in her life, between her son’s birth, losing her mother, and finding comfort in the chaos. The album name comes from the letters that her mom wrote to Kali before she passed. Sincerely, came only a year after her remarkable Spanish album, Orquídeas. This album doesn’t get misplaced in her discography, showing how she’s always consistent and fresh with every project. As of right now, it’s my favorite release of 2025, it creates a dreamy soundscape that takes you to another world. From its immaculate vocals to the luxurious production, Sincerely, was handled with care, made for moments of love, intimacy, watching a sunset, or crawling under a blanket on a rainy day.

Track 1: “Heaven is a Home…” 💌

A beautiful opening track from Kali, as an angelic orchestra introduces the album. It’s the first song she wrote for Sincerely, way before she knew of her mother’s diagnosis or her pregnancy. On the Angie Martinez IRL Podcast, Kali said she would later look back on the lyrics and correlate them to her experiences of her mother’s passing. Kali sings about how her mother still watches Kali, and Kali celebrates her in the song. “Shining through the clouds, see a smiling face.” She also sings about her baby and lover, saying that heaven is a home whenever they’re near her.

Track 2: “Sugar! Honey! Love!” 

Kali takes a psychedelic route on “Sugar! Honey! Love!”. She explains how she’s gone through the pain of  a relationship and how she found the light again. It reminds me a lot of Lana Del Rey’s Born To Die, both instrumentally and vocally. She showcases some of her highest vocals, but it’s in a way that feels hypnotizing. The strings that follow heighten Kali’s voice, making it sound all the more beautiful.

Track 3: “Lose My Cool,” 💌

“Lose My Cool,” is a six-minute track that is reminiscent of artists like The Mariás and Cocteau Twins. It has Kali reflecting about losing herself around someone you’re attracted to. She tries and tries to be calm, but she ends up head over heels. The song is split into two parts. Part one has her focused on keeping her cool, but she gets overwhelmed by love’s power, whereas part two dives even deeper, committing herself to this relationship, but she loses even more of her composure the further she goes.

Track 4: It’s Just Us

“It’s Just Us” creates a sanctuary for Kali, protecting her and her lover from the disarray of the world. She sings about the unconditional love she has for her lover and that nothing else matters. There are moments of resilience on this track, too, with lyrics such as, “Kicked out of the house as a teen, but I was on my own much longer, it seemed.” She talks about her self-discovery and how that led her to her lover. The guitars on this song are another highlight. They are mesmerizing, perfect for a drive during the sunset.

Track 5: “For: You”

“For: You” is Kali singing about all the things she’d do for who she loves. She sings about the sacrifices she’s willing to make. She’d endure the pain, or as she says, “Love is a gun, I’d bite the bullet.” She’s devoted to who she loves, saying, “Even in the afterlife, I’ll always keep my baby safe.” It’s Kali at her most vulnerable, shouting her dedication to the ones she loves.

Track 6: “Silk Lingerie,” 💌

Kali questions her self-worth in the face of love. She asks her lover, “How did you fall for someone complicated and flawed?” It’s a vulnerable moment from Kali, she beats herself up and is confused on how someone so perfect could fall in love with her. The melancholic, minimalist production allows Kali’s lyrics to be the main focus of the song. It’s dreamy but it also feels like you’re caught in a storm.  

Track 7: “Territorial”

Kali puts her foot down on “Territorial.” She stands up for herself to protect her relationship, and sings about the consequences when someone crosses her boundaries. She warns her friend that she’ll be the villain if they decide to steal her man.  The song is sultry, reminding me a lot of Beyoncé’s song “6 Inch.” It’s almost like she’s Beyoncé, singing to “Becky with the good hair.” 

Track 8: “Fall Apart,” 💌

“Fall Apart,” is a jazzy ballad about a relationship that stands in the presence of imperfection. She questions her lover, asking him if he still loves her even if she falls apart. But, she also celebrates her love and acknowledges her partner for loving those imperfections and understanding who she is. The dreamy vocals Kali offers are laced with Amy Winehouse’s influence. “Fall Apart,” is rich, ethereal, and one of my highlights from the album.

Track 9: “All I Can Say”

“All I Can Say” feels like it came straight out of a 50’s rom-com like Grease. Kali stands confidently on this track, unapologetic about who she is. She sings, “No, I’m not sorry for the dreams that I dream, or the life that I live ’cause it all belongs to me.” She finds comfort in her inner peace, and she won’t break down and change because someone wants her to.

Track 10: “Daggers!” 💌

“Daggers!” is different compared to the other tracks; she sings to a friend, giving her advice to get out of a toxic relationship. Her friend, however, is blinded by desire and doesn’t want to leave her boyfriend. The last lyrics stand out to me: “I’m just a message in a bottle in the ocean of your tears.” Kali’s words of advice to this woman never get through to her. Her advice is fruitless, submerged by her friend’s blindness to see how the relationship is damaging her.

Track 11: “Angels All Around Me…” 💌

“Angels All Around Me…” is another two-part track. In the first part, she thanks the divine for watching over her and her family. She also thanks them for helping her transform and guide her through the adversity she’s faced in her life, with lyrics like, “Rejection was the highest protection.

You pushed me in the right direction.”  In the second part, she prays for the protection of her family and herself, and she prays for the world, praying that people can change. Sonically, this song feels like summer, with its light bass, guitars, and dreamy strings, making me feel like I’m on an island.

Track 12: “Breeze!” 💌

Kali lets go of all her fears about love on this song. She refers to her love as a breeze, recognizing its power and trusting that her relationship is strong enough to get them through hardships. It’s the shortest track on the album, clocking in at only two minutes and twenty-five seconds, but it still leaves a lasting impact. Its tropical vibe highlights the idea of a breeze, creating an atmosphere where you don’t have to worry about the challenges that threaten your life or your love.

Track 13: “Sunshine & Rain…”

“Sunshine & Rain…” has Kali singing about being with her lover through the ups and down. It’s a great example of the album’s theme of finding comfort in the chaos. She emphasizes the challenges that are faced in a relationship, but still puts focus on the strength they possess together. She also questions society on the song, and how people have lost their ways, with lyrics like, “The world needs an epiphany.”

Track 14: “ILYSMIH” 💌

It’s so hard not to cry to this song. “ILYSMIH” was written by Kali while her baby was sleeping in her arms after she gave birth. She captures the overwhelming happiness of giving birth to her baby, screaming lyrics like “And I can’t stop the tears, my baby’s here.” She closes the album in such a heartfelt way, confessing she will do anything and everything for her baby.