Track Review: Camila Cabello & Ed Sheeran, "Bam Bam"
Ahead of the release of Familia, her third studio album, Camila Cabello has called up Ed Sheeran for her latest single: "Bam Bam." Ed, who is currently enjoying his own run of Top 40 hits, last joined forces with Camila (and Cardi B!) on "South of the Border" from his No.6 Collaborations Project. "Bam Bam," the follow-up to the forgettable "Don't Go Yet," is one of Camila's best musical offerings in a while.
In the wake of her breakup with fellow Grammy-nominated chart-topping pop star Shawn Mendes, Camila could have opted for a torrid ballad, but the dance-centric approach was a much better decision. Built around one of her mother's old sayings ("Así e' la vida, sí [“That’s life, yeah”]), "Bam Bam" finds Camila taking a more laissez-fare approach to the break-up song. She dances her way through accepting the outcome of events while looking forward to what the future holds for her. The salsa-influenced dance number features a punchy chorus melody and picture-perfect chemistry between Camila and Ed. It's an easy sell; the singers flutter through the song's acoustic breeze, and by the time the final chorus hits, their tones carry a twinge of gratitude that offers a nice layer of depth to their belts and riffs. Vocally, Camila delivers a much better performance here than on "Don't Go Yet," but she may have been better off lowering the song a step or two because some of the top notes sound a bit strained. This is just what Camila needs to get back on track.
Score: 71