IRL (album)

Last updated
IRL
Mahalia - IRL.png
Studio album by
Mahalia
Released14 July 2023 (2023-07-14)
Genre R&B [1]
Length44:33
Label Warner Music
Producer
  • Hart
  • Grades
  • JD Reid
  • Raye
  • Spencer Stewart
  • TheElements
Mahalia chronology
Love and Compromise
(2019)		IRL
(2023)
Singles from IRL
  1. "Letter to Ur Ex"
    Released: 22 February 2022
  2. "Bag Of You"
    Released: 11 November 2022
  3. "Terms and Conditions"
    Released: 5 April 2023
  4. "Cheat"
    Released: 8 June 2023
  5. "Ready"
    Released: 7 July 2023

IRL (initialism for In Real Life) is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Mahalia. The album was released on 14 July 2023 through Warner Music. [2] The album was inspired by the singer's "traumatic breakup" and her visits to "therapy". [3] In support of the album, Mahalia embarked on a tour of the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and Australia, commencing in October 2023 in Leeds [4] and concluding in Brisbane, Australia on 8 May 2024. [5] [6]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.2/10 [7]
Metacritic 80/100 [8]
Review scores
SourceRating
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [9]
The Line of Best Fit 7/10 [10]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]

IRL received a score of 80 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on six critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. [8] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.2 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. Elle Barton of DIY called the album a "delight", writing that it strikes "a perfect balance between familiarity and unpredictability, immediate choruses coexisting with a relaxed, breezy sound". [9] NME 's Erica Campbell described the album as "bold, vulnerable, classic R&B", with IRL "reflect[ing] a young woman fully becoming herself, not just confidently throwing her hands up but boldly letting her guard down too". [1]

Red Dziri of The Line of Best Fit wrote that "Mahalia is not casting as wide a net as she did in her career-defining debut" and "if IRL is not as consistent as her previous output, this new album still cements Mahalia as a major R&B/Soul fixture both nationally and abroad". [10] Lucy Fitzgerald, reviewing the album for The Skinny , found it to be "satiny and consistent, [but] sonically and lyrically you're eager for some bigger swings. [...] IRL is like a path reflecting dappled sunlight: we can see patches of brightness but its full light is obscured". [11]

Track listing

IRL track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Ready"
  • Hart
  • JD Reid
  • Cameron Gower Poole [v]
3:01
2."In My Bag"
  • Burkmar
  • Abby-Lynn Keen
  • Paul Goller
  • Keven Wolfsohn
  • TheElements
  • Poole [v]
3:49
3."Terms and Conditions"
3:29
4."In My Head" (featuring Joyce Wrice)
  • Burkmar
  • Hart
  • Pope
  • Reid
  • Anthony Watts
  • Joyce Wrice
  • JD Reid
  • Poole [v]
3:30
5."Cheat" (featuring JoJo)
3:22
6."November" (featuring Stormzy)
  • Hart
  • JD Reid
  • Poole [v]
3:34
7."Hey Stranger"
  • Burkmar
  • Pope
  • Reid
  • JD Reid
  • Poole [v]
2:43
8."Isn't It Strange?"
2:43
9."It's Not Me, It's You" (featuring Destin Conrad)
  • Burkmar
  • Destin Conrad
  • Hart
  • Bernard Kawka
  • Pope
  • Reid
  • JD Reid
  • Poole [v]
3:45
10."Wassup" (featuring Kojey Radical)
  • JD Reid
  • Poole [v]
3:46
11."Lose Lose"
  • Burkmar
  • Hart
  • Pope
  • Reid
  • JD Reid
  • Poole [v]
3:24
12."Goodbyes"
  • Burkmar
  • Hart
  • Pope
  • Reid
  • JD Reid
  • Poole [v]
3:57
13."IRL"
  • Burkmar
  • Hart
  • Pope
  • Reid
  • JD Reid
  • Poole [v]
3:30
Total length:44:33
IRL (Deluxe) track listing
No.TitleLength
14."Slowly"3:08
15."Mani Pedi"3:11
16."Bag of You"3:18
17."Terms and Conditions (Live) - Vevo Studio Performance"3:37
18."Letter to Ur Ex"2:15
19."Plastic Plants"3:20
Total length:63:22

Notes

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for IRL
Chart (2023)Peak
position
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ) [12] 24
Scottish Albums (OCC) [13] 81
UK Albums (OCC) [14] 31
UK R&B Albums (OCC) [15] 2

Release history

Release dates and formats for IRL
RegionDateFormat(s)LabelRef.
Various14 July 2023 Warner Music [16] [17] [18]

Notes

  1. ↑ Wired Strings consists of cellist Rosie Danvers, violists Bryony Mycroft and Meghan Cassidy, and violinists Ellie Stanford, Hayley Pomfrett, Jenny Sacha, Miles Brett, Patrick Kiernan, Sally Jackson, and Stephen Morris.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Campbell, Erica (13 July 2023). "Mahalia: IRL review: bold, vulnerable, classic R&B". NME . Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Mahalia Announces 'IRL' Album Release and UK Tour Dates". V13. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Lauren Spencer Smith Announces Debut Studio Album Mirror". NME . Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ↑ JOSHLOMAT (9 October 2023). "UK & EUROPE!! The @mahalia tour starts today with my brothers @noguidnce Pull up & bring your energy, it's gonna be a movie! Tickets are still available for certain dates. NG2DAWORLD". Instagram. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "MAHALIA ANNOUNCES 2024 NORTH AMERICA LEG OF THE 'IN REAL LIFE' TOUR". Live Nation Entertainment. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  6. ↑ Fry, Courtney (25 January 2024). "Mahalia is bringing her In Real Life tour to Australia". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Triple J. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "Mahalia – IRL". AnyDecentMusic?. 14 July 2023.
  8. 1 2 "IRL by Mahalia Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  9. 1 2 Barton, Elle (13 July 2023). "Mahalia: IRL review". DIY . Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  10. 1 2 Dziri, Red (12 July 2023). "Mahalia: In Real Life Review". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  11. 1 2 Fitzgerald, Lucy (10 July 2023). "Mahalia album review: IRL". The Skinny . Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2023. 29. hét". MAHASZ . Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  16. ↑ "IRL by Mahalia" . Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  17. ↑ "IRL[VINYL]:Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl". Amazon Music. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  18. ↑ "IRL by Mahalia on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
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