Rising singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri released her debut album, What A Devastating Turn of Events under Parlophone on May 3, 2024. The English singer first entered the music industry in 2018 due to her indie SoundCloud song “So My Darling,” which makes an appearance on this album. In the following years, the singer released two EPs Four In Winter (2021) and Better Off Without (2022). The latter featuring one of her viral songs “All I Ever Asked,” also included on this album, which caught the attention of Adele, Sophie Turner, and Lewis Capaldi late last year.
On opening track, “Garden of Eden,” Chinouriri sings: “I overthink the things I said / I start to question who my friends are / Maybe I’m over-sharing, underwhelming / But no one else was there / I cared, at least I cared.” The honesty of this verse and self-deprecating chorus paired dominating guitars and drums effectively sets the album’s soundscape and tone. Shy of 50 minutes, Chinouriri’s debut album explores the her life’s darkest moments including self harm, alcohol abuse, depression, regret, and the beauty despite everything.
The music video for promotional single, “Never Needed Me,” starring actress Florence Pugh skyrocketed Chinouriri’s already established success. The track embraces pure indie pop instrumentation and freeing lyrics encouraging her listeners to prioritize themselves in toxic relationships. “And maybe I’ll regret not sticking around / But how can I swim if you’re pullin’ me down? / Just promise you’ll take it easy / I hope that you never needed me.” Her cutting lyrics consistently hit home throughout the album on tracks such as “The Hills” and “Robbed.”
Drawing inspiration of the 2000s Britpop scene, the song’s peppy nature paired with cheeky spoken-word deliveries from Chinouriri, “It Is What It Is” bluntly questions the confusion of modern dating. “Why did you kiss me, then called me, then say that you miss me then you talk about chemistry?” she asks. This upbeat storytelling continues on following track “Dumb Bitch Juice,” a catchy instant fan-favorite marking Chinouriri’s star status.
Chinouriri recalls a gut wrenching personal story revolving around loss, motherhood, and neglect on the album’s title track. In an interview with B-Sides host Pete Mar, Chinouriri shared “…I feel like this is something most people can relate to. The decision to take her own life is something many people have contemplated, and her life was almost the perfect storm to create that environment which is heartbreaking. Without the right support or understanding around you, people can feel trapped and it’s sad she ever made this choice. Her story deserves to be told and I hope more people know that this is a feeling that many people have felt and you should always ask for help.”
What A Devastating Turn of Events closes with Chinouriri’s previously released acoustic “So My Darling,” elevated by the singer’s signature multi-layered vocals. Ending on a nostalgic note, her warm voice balances a difficult moment in her life with comforting guitar picking. She softly sings, “Then our friendship just suddenly grew / We reunited and it felt just the same / Now we love in a different way.” Stamped with versatility, What A Devastating Turn of Events’ reflective lyricism on death, relationships, rejection, and suicidal thoughts ranges from indie rock, pop rock, and acoustic cuts.
