Soundcheck with Ethan

By: Ethan Barrocas

Madison Beer’s newest album, Locket, is good, but it doesn’t go beyond what I’ve already seen her do.

Madison Beer is someone who deserves a breakout moment. Her impressive vocals set her apart among other Gen-Z singers–think of her as an underrated Ariana Grande. She’s had multiple well-known TikTok hits, yet her albums have never quite broken beyond her core fanbase. 

After the virality of the 2024 track “make you mine,” I assumed Madison was shifting her sound from slower ballads to more energetic, club-ready tracks. This direction seemed promising, especially after the release of  the second single, “Yes Baby.” I appreciated this evolution because she made dance music feel like something more than just what you’d hear in a club. ​​The genre can come across as repetitive, built on familiar components with little room for storytelling, and “make you mine” challenged that expectation. She and her producers let the atmosphere progress through the lyrics, a polar-opposite strategy compared to other dance hits. It still relies on a hook, but the hook wouldn’t have worked if it didn’t have the moody and sultry vibe. 

She carries that allure into “15 MINUTES,” summoning a darker intensity that sounds both mysterious and compelling. It’s the sibling of “make you mine,” but the production packs a bigger punch and lands with a more elevated feel, thanks to its ominous, sharp theatrics and cinematic buildup. This one seemed to be crafted with more care, allowing the ambience to take direct control of all the other elements. 

Madison then disappeared for a year and, in September of 2025, released “yes baby,” the third song in Madison’s dance-pop trilogy. It’s fast and euphoric, driven by drum beats, synths, and bass. It follows the sensuality of “make you mine,” but keeps the brooding, mystical nature of “15 MINUTES.” While the lyrics are repetitive, the soundscape is sweaty and ecstatic, ensuring an adrenaline rush.

After constant speculation and teasing, Locket was finally announced with “bittersweet,” a single that immediately changed the direction Madison was heading towards. It’s very different compared to the last three releases. It’s slower and more poignant. The synths exist, but it’s less upbeat and exciting. It’s a fine pop track, but fundamentally feels slight, echoing the sentimental sweep of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” without matching its depth or impact. 

After taking in the record’s aesthetic and tracklist, I started to feel skeptical. Visually, the concept is the antithesis of the three releases that preceded “bittersweet,” trading the grit and heaviness for something more delicate and introspective. The shift is immediately apparent when examining the tracklist–most notably the absence of “15 MINUTES,” while “yes baby” and “make you mine” remain. Disillusionment set in, leaving me confused. The direction Madison was heading in suited her well–she was exploring new sounds, and they worked, only to retreat to ballads and a more emotional approach.

Nevertheless, the album tells a story of a relationship and its eventual downfall, but that narrative sometimes gets lost due to uneven cohesiveness, hit-or-miss songwriting, and the album’s lack of adherence to the overall theme. Despite that, there was still room left for experimentation, most notably on songs like “for the night” and “complexity.”

“for the night” is reminiscent of Billie Eilish’s “Billie Bossa Nova,” evoking its seductive, understated atmosphere. The vocals feel fragile and vulnerable, as if she’s declaring her readiness for love or embarking on a romantic escapade. “complexity” leans into UK garage and vocoder effects,  creating a sleek electronic-pop fusion. 

My other issue is how short some of the songs are, a problem that doesn’t reflect Madison’s choices but a broader industry fear of releasing tracks over three minutes. They’re afraid to do this because they risk not achieving widespread success. 

“healthy habit” is a prime example. It’s a standout, but it annoyingly doesn’t reach the two-minute mark, ending in a way that feels somewhat rushed. Madison contemplates returning to a relationship that didn’t treat her well, repeating, “And I wonder if it’s worth doing it again,” on the chorus. As it comes to a close, she samples a line in Adventure Time that surprisingly works and adds more profundity to the short track. 

On the contrary, “angel wings” is the longest on the album, going a bit over four minutes. The vocal delivery sounds resigned and contrasts nicely with the upbeat R&B production. But the storytelling is what sells it. She uses angel wings as a metaphor for denial and how her ex is dead to her as a way to cope with the end of the relationship. It then slows in the second part of the song, where she comes to terms with her denial and can move on more healthily.

While “angel wings” offers cathartic release through its metaphors, “bad enough” pulls listeners back into the raw, unresolved ache of the same breakup cycle. Here, Madison confronts the complications of staying in a relationship even though you know it’s not good for you. 

It’s my favorite song because of the confessional nature of the vocal delivery in the chorus, which echoes the push-and-pull dynamic of wanting to leave but something still keeps you there. 

Unfortunately, that emotional high doesn’t carry through the entire album. Tracks like “you’re still everything” and “nothing at all” aim for vulnerability but ultimately feel generic. “You’re still everything,” in particular, lacks the progression needed to leave a lasting impact, and its soft, muted production does little to elevate it. While the songs are emotionally raw, their melodies blend too much into standard pop ballads, making them less memorable than they should be.

At heart, locket isn’t a bad album, but it leaves me unsure of who Madison Beer truly is as an artist. The record shows efforts to experiment with new sounds and vocal techniques, yet it ultimately plays it safe. The locket was opened just a crack, hinting at what could be, and I’m left hopeful that someday it will fully open to reveal something truly magnificent.