Many people, in search of healing, turn to meditation, embark on pilgrimages to sacred places, or study ancient practices. In their quest to find inner peace, many explore both external and internal worlds, trying to find answers to personal questions and the key to healing. MALIA’s album “Back in My Body” offers healing through music, which begins the moment one returns to their body and takes responsibility for their life. MALIA started her journey in the world of music with timid steps in her childhood. At eight, she started playing the piano and joined the school choir, but shyness led her to a more “reliable” path. After moving to California, MALIA earned a degree in political science and sociology, planning to attend law school. However, after graduation, she chose to pursue her true passion – music. She picked up a guitar and began practicing daily. In 2015, she released her first single, and in 2021, her debut album, ‘Unpolished.’
Photo by @maliavibes
Then came the preparation and release of the album “Back in My Body.” This release is a meditative reflection on the importance of finding inner peace and returning to one’s true self. It tells the story of how MALIA endured many trials and discovered a sense of home not in the external world, but within herself. The album consists of 11 tracks and opens with the song “Genesis.” From the very first chords, she takes the stage, doing so effortlessly, as if it rightfully belongs to her. There’s something deep inside, almost intimate, as if emotions and melodies intertwine to tell their story. A story that began long ago but is only now reaching its conclusion, with MALIA gently guiding us to the resolution, as if it was all planned from the start.
The songs on the album are unhurried, with a light, infinitely charming, and excited femininity. For example, in “Cruise Control,” the melodies sway and absorb all thoughts. In such an atmosphere, you feel not just like a listener, but like a part of a personal ritual, where MALIA’s voice, as if woven from whispers and sighs, envelops with its emotional web. Each track has something special; for example, the introduction of strings in the composition “Everything I Am” transported me to a blooming field, and listening to “Minding My Own,” I found myself wandering along warm sea sands, with gentle waves touching my feet.
Photo by @maliavibes
The tracks flow smoothly into one another, and with them, my feelings shift. The slightly faster tempo of the track “Feels So Good,” yet with the same velvety vocals of MALIA, swept away all sad thoughts, and I was already swaying to the rhythm of the music. It’s an amazing state that can’t be described, only felt by listening to the album. If you ask me which track moved me the most, I would say, “All eleven.” They intertwine, creating a sense of infinity, every whisper and sigh is part of the story. “Bad Manners” reminded me of a story my friend told me about her experience when she found herself in a situation where social norms and decency were merely a thin facade hiding people’s true intentions. The song, like her story, recreates an atmosphere where decency seems like just a facade, behind which real passions are boiling. But “Jasmine in Bloom” is already a more romantic story, which continues with the track “Oxytocin,” filled with notes of passion.
The album concludes with the elegant track “Back in My Body.” This moment is reminiscent of the final scene of a movie, where all the storylines weave into a beautiful knot, and the last frame leaves you with the feeling that life goes on. Every song, like every story, has its beginning and end, but within this end, there is always the potential for a new beginning. And just like in good movies, you can only wonder what awaits the characters next, but one thing is clear – it was magnificent. I leave I Love You? Back in My Body with a light sadness and a feeling of contentment.
If there’s one album you should add to your playlist right now, it’s Back in My Body by MALIA. Each song has this uncanny ability to calm your mind and heal whatever chaos might be swirling around in your life. The tracks don’t shy away from vulnerability; instead, they lean into it, almost daring you to do the same. And in that shared vulnerability, there’s a kind of quiet strength that builds within you as you listen. It’s as if MALIA is whispering, “You’re not alone in this. You’ve got this.”
Catch MALIA at her upcoming concert performance:
September 29th at Tree People in Los Angeles
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