Freya Ridings is the debut album by English singer-songwriter Freya Ridings, released on 19 July 2019 through Good Soldier Songs and AWAL. It includes the singles "Lost Without You", which reached the UK top ten, as well as the lead single "Blackout", "Ultraviolet", "You Mean the World to Me" and "Castles". It was also supported by the promotional single "Unconditional". It was named one of nine albums to look forward to in 2019 by Smooth Radio. The album debuted inside the top 3 in the UK and Scotland's official charts, and has charted in countries like Germany and Ireland.
Contents
Background
Ridings stated that because the album was written over "such a long period of time", its "universal theme" is "loneliness", as she was "isolated" growing up and would play music on her school's pianos at lunchtime and "tell the kind of stories you would tell to a friend to the piano".
Critical reception
Phoebe Luckhurst from The Evening Standard called Freya Ridings a "lachrymose break-up album" exploring themes of "longing, loss" and heartbreak. She praised Ridings's "extraordinary voice," comparing its power to artists such as Florence Welch and Hannah Reid, while highlighting tracks like "Love Is Fire," "Ultraviolet" and "Poison" for their haunting, soulful and "electrifying" qualities. Writing for The Irish Times, Louise Bruton found that the album was a "juggernaut of a commercial tearjerker" that succeeds through "well-crafted songs and poignant misery." She praised Ridings's ability to capture heartbreak and emotional intensity, noting that her voice "carries years of pain and loss in one note" across the album. The Herald's Kerri-Ann| Roper praised the album as "packed with one hit-worthy song after the next," and concluded it as a "massively impressive debut album."
Gigwise editor Jack Lloyd praised the album's emotional songwriting and described tracks such as "Poison," "Love Is Fire," "Holy Water" and "Wishbone" as powerful moments that showcase her ability to create "devastating" and memorable pop ballads, highlighting her blend of vulnerability, dramatic vocals and radio-ready melodies. Hot Press critic Lucy O'Toole found that Freya Ridings was a "powerful debut from soulful star on the rise. She praised her "commanding, expressive" voice, the album's balance of raw vulnerability, haunting melodies and polished production. Annie Galvin of Paste highlighted tracks like "Poison," "Castles" and "Holy Water," noting a cohesive but sometimes repetitive exploration of heartbreak and longing, while Laura Snapes from The Guardian called Freya Ridings a disappointing debut, rating it 1/5 and describing it as "dull ballads by Florence-alike."
Commercial performance
Freya Ridings debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number three, with sales of 14,779 units.