Since her debut studio album “Isolation,” Columbian-American artist Kali Uchis has made waves in the music industry. With the release of her newest album “Red Moon In Venus,” Uchis continues to stand as a lead female artist in the R&B, pop and hip-hop genres.
Released on March 3, 2023, the album was Uchis’ first to make the top 10 on Billboard 200, debuting at number four on the list and reaching number two on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album includes features from artists like Omar Apollo, Summer Walker and even Don Toliver, Uchis’ partner.
While many of Uchis’ previous albums fit into the pop genre, “Red Moon in Venus” is an R&B album with key elements of psychedelic soul and also includes many experimental elements. This transition in Uchis’ album is evidence of her growth as an artist and her dedication to creating music that truly resonates with her listeners.
One unique facet of the album is Uchis’ use of the combination of her roots, including both English and Spanish on the album, with songs like “Como Te Quiero Yo” and “Hasta Cuando” combining the two languages.
In a press release, Uchis described the album as “a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith, and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus.”
This divine femininity is certainly a prominent aspect of the album, as Uchis urges listeners to place a high value on themselves, as well as the love they give and receive. Throughout the album, Uchis discusses the importance of deep emotional connection and serious relationships, dismissing the casual relationships that are so common today.
The album opens with “In My Garden…” and “I Wish you Roses,” a slow and sweet introduction to the album’s themes of love and relationships. In “I Wish you Roses,” Uchis’ character parts with her former lover, wishing them all the best and reminiscing their relationship.
These songs set the tone for the rest of the album, in which Uchis’ character meets someone and enters a new relationship, all the while maintaining her high expectations for both herself and a partner.
Much of the album focuses on the new relationship, which is introduced in “Worth the Wait (featuring Omar Apollo).” Uchis uses this relationship to illustrate the expectations that people should be setting for their partner, as well as addressing the real, difficult parts of a relationship.
Photo courtesy of Sacks & Co.
Songs like “All Mine,” describing the jealousy and possessiveness that often comes with a new partner or “Blue,” discussing the ups and downs of relationships and the closeness partners desire after an argument, highlight the messier sides of relationships, rather than just discussing the best parts of romance.
Throughout “Red Moon In Venus,” Uchis pushes the idea that people should never settle in relationships. As Uchis states on Spotify, “One wouldn’t expect a goddess to bless them for no reason; you make offerings to a goddess.”
The ninth track on the album, “Endlessly,” describes the epitome of the standards that Uchis has for her own relationships, as well as those she encourages listeners to develop for themselves.
With lyrics like “Spoil me to the bone/And never leave me alone” and “Wanna spoil me in every way/It’s Valentine’s like, every day,” (“Endlessly”) Uchis stresses to her audience that people don’t deserve your time and attention if they don’t work for it.
Uchis also includes songs on the album that don’t discuss relationships, such as “Moral Conscience,” an intermission Uchis takes to talk about karma and a family member who wronged her.
In “Not Too Late (interlude),” Uchis continues to digress from the relationship, describing the song as “a tease to anyone obsessed with speaking negatively on my name” (Spotify). The song includes lyrics like “it’s not too late to admit you love me,” a message to haters of Uchis and those who might be only now realizing the quality of her music.
Uchis has created a masterpiece with her newest album, illuminating the highs and lows of love, and pushing readers to seek out the level of relationship they truly deserve. “Red Moon In Venus” is a beautiful illustration of both self-love and relationships with others, and it is evident that Uchis will continue to create groundbreaking art in the music industry as she goes on.
