Even from my nosebleed, upper-tier seat at Wembley Stadium, Suki Waterhouse’s heavenly soundscape instantly transported me to another world. I’d always been a fan of Waterhouse, but her performance as the opener of The Eras Tour in London is what made me fall in love with her as an artist. With the slow release of seven majestic pop singles, I was counting down the days until her album, “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin,” was finally released on Sept. 13.
Naming her album after the colorful, cannibalistic, dancing Sparklemuffin spider that Waterhouse learned about while late-night scrolling on the internet, she found the spider relatable because of how it represents metamorphosis — albeit in a less conventionally beautiful way than a butterfly might. Though the name veers slightly arbitrary, the album carefully encapsulates the concept of rebirth through emotional ballads, upbeat pop tunes and dreamy rock numbers that weave through moments of Waterhouse’s career and relationships.
Waterhouse has been in the public eye for many years as a model and actress, but it was when her song “Good Looking” circulated on TikTok in 2022 that her music career began to explode. She released her debut album the same year, entitled “I Can’t Let Go,” and has since garnered massive recognition, recently performing at Coachella. “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” manages to evade the one-hit-wonder trend of viral artists, introducing grand album visuals and diverse sonic landscapes that add a freshness to Waterhouse’s discography.
The album begins with a breathtaking, euphoric rock ballad entitled “Gateway Drug,” which starts the listener off with an addictive musical high. This is the gateway into the album’s dissection of a relationship breaking down, and in songs like “To Get You,” Waterhouse details everything she left and lost to preserve it. With devastating lyrics such as “I dodged a bullet, still half of my heart bled out,” Waterhouse provides a sense of visceral loss that comes with ending a relationship and how much she sacrificed to keep her love. Soft guitars and simple rhythmic structures mark the lifeless feeling Waterhouse is left with before the climactic bridge builds, with distorting overlapping vocals expressing Waterhouse’s anger over the relationship’s turmoil. Devastatingly, the end of the song reveals that, despite this hardship, she would do it all over again to get her muse back.
At the end of the album, “To Love” and “Legendary” recount the newfound love that follows failed romance. Speculated to be about Waterhouse’s partner and the father of her child, actor Robert Pattinson, lyrics from “Legendary” say that she “slayed the dragons for this legendary love.” This fantastical metaphor fits perfectly into Waterhouse’s magical narrative world, summarizing the fallen relationship recounted in tracks off “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” with a satisfying conclusion of hope and new love.
However, the album not only touches on romance, but also weaves in songs of self-discovery and Waterhouse’s experience as an artist in the public eye. In her song “Supersad,” she comments on her tendency to self-destruct and the need to move on from her depressive habits. With upbeat drums and wistful vocal melodies, this song and accompanying music video are uplifting, both lyrically and sonically. One of the album’s most popular songs, “Model, Actress, Whatever,” details Waterhouse’s experience as a multidisciplinary artist and the negative impact record labels have had on her music. She says, “All of my dreams came true / the bigger the ocean, the deeper the blue,” highlighting the way dreams can often be sullied by the consequences of fame. Waterhouse also comments on other characters within the industry in her song “Lawsuit,” depicting someone who has abused their power and harmed women, warning that their career is in danger. The album covers a wide range of topics and themes and is similarly diverse in production.
Songs like “OMG” and “My Fun” lift the album’s sound with a dance-pop style, while other songs such as “Lullaby” and “Everybody Breaks Up Anyway” are piano ballads with haunting melodic lines. Songs like “Think Twice” have a similar western, guitar style to other songs like “Wild Side” on Waterhouse’s previous album. The sonic landscape is varied but feels cohesive in its lofty, angelic feel.
The only thing I would change about the album is the length. With 18 tracks, the album slows in its pacing and hits a lull at the midway point, with a few of the songs blending together. If the tracklist was shorter, the more memorable hits, including “To Love” and “My Fun,” would be further highlighted rather than drowned out.
Overall, “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” is a haunting and whimsical portrayal of self-discovery, romance and fame. With enchanting album visuals, varied sonic landscapes and diverse lyrical realms, Waterhouse has cemented herself as an accomplished songwriter, in addition to model, actress, whatever.
Contact Sophie Meinershagen at [email protected].