“Dolls,” an EP by Bella Poarch.
Bella Poarch, “Dolls” (Warner Records)
In theory this should work. With her massive TikTok following, Bella Poarch clearly needed to strike while the iron is hot and release a studio EP. “Dolls” is that album.
Now comes the tricky part. Will enough of Poarch’s 91 million TikTok followers and pop music fans appreciate her six-track effort, or merely see it as a fame grab piggybacking on her curious ascent to the top of the social media heap?
“Dolls” is heavy on production, with Poarch offering little more than breathy coos above a mundane pop backdrop. Songs like “Build A B****” and “Dolls” have a decent message about self-identity, but they are delivered in fleeting and furtive fashion, with Poarch rushing clutches of lyrics past us instead of, well, singing.
The exception is “Living Hell,” a solid song about relationship power and control. Poarch excels on this track because she’s given room to push the boundaries of her voice.
The strategical unveiling of Poarch as recording artist is no surprise. She’s popular in one white-hot forum, so why not try another? “Dolls” is carefully lush, mistake-free pop.
Social media made Bella Poarch famous and only time will tell if her music will keep her there.
