Life Support - Madison Beer (2021)

by Chloe Richardson

A lengthy and impressive piece filled with twists and turns inspired by her own haphazard journey through love and self-discovery, Madison Beer’s Life Support demonstrates just how raw and intense pop music can be. Beer has said that this album follows her as she comes to terms with her diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, as well as simultaneously going through a traumatic breakup. These motifs can be seen most obviously in songs like “Good in Goodbye” and “Selfish”-- the former utilizing overtly mainstream pop beats and vocals, while the latter employs calm electric guitars and mellow melodies. Tracks such as “Effortlessly” even dip their toes into the realm of pharmaceuticals, inspired by the pills Beer was prescribed post-diagnosis. Beer creates an incredibly interesting dichotomy by layering dark and haunting themes over such polished instrumentals, adding in delicate harmonies and auto-tuned vocal effects to put her own twist on the classic “girl next door” trope that countless female pop artists are so frequently plagued with. One can only hope that the creation of this dazzling record proved cathartic for the 21-year-old, and that Beer will soon realize that this is only the beginning of what’s to come for her.