Normani’s debut album ‘Dopamine’ is finally here.
Six years in the making, the project has endured everything from personal hurdles to delays to pivots in sound. Yet, the end product has undoubtedly delivered.
Cohesive, eclectic, and assured, the LP cements Normani as an artist for whom quality is her central engine.
Since its landing, we’ve had the album on repeat and it more than lives up to its billing of giving us a rush.
Join us below as we tally That Grape Juice’s Top 5 Tracks From Normani’s ‘Dopamine’…
All Yours
Scintillating, steamy, and hypnotic, this arresting anthem makes no apologies for its sensual agenda. Deliciously infectious, it marries Normani’s clear slow jam mainstay with bop-able production.
For those, like us, who appreciate the star’s penchant for slow cuts but have been thirsting for tempo, this delivers in earnest by sitting at the perfect intersection of both.
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Take My Time
From the moment the beat drops, this bouncy anthem grips the listener and directs straight to the dancefloor.
An explosion of euphoric bliss, this easily serves as the track packing the most international appeal.
In many ways, its title is emblematic of the exact approach Normani harnessed to cultivate such a strong body of work.
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Candy Paint
Teased for an extended spell, this sweet treat does not disappoint. Pulsating production is paired with swagger-drenched delivery and the end result is a song that tastes so good we keep coming back for more.
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Little Secrets
A sonic standout, nothing on the project mirrors the sound of this uniquely molded cut. With its staccato production, breathy delivery, and lush layers, there is so much on offer here. Indeed, each play presents a new element that intrigues.
Serving as the LP’s penultimate track, it may well be the set’s best-kept secret.
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Wild Side
While doing the pre-release press rounds for ’Dopamine,’ Normani relayed how this Cardi B-assisted cut set the sonic tone for the record at large – and oh was she on the mark.
Already a favorite here at TGJ, this exquisite jam may close out the album but more than anything serves as the heartbeat that powers the body of work at large.
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Do you agree with our list? What are your favorite tracks from ‘Dopamine’?
Upon multiple listens with the production, what’s immediately apparent is how generic, all-over-the-place and trend-chasing the album sounds, no matter how they persuade you on how it’s sonically “refreshing” online. Normani is not a strong vocalist, even if she has a unique tone, but she’s simply imitating the same tired pop-R&B tropes and styles dominating the charts from the past and present. Rather than carving out her lane, Normani seems content to blend into the crowd of indistinguishable Spotify-core R&B.
Even more disappointing is how much of the album is cribbed from the late 90s-2000s R&B hits. Several tracks sound like direct imitations of songs of her influences or what’s out in the modern R&B world. Instead of paying homage while putting her spin on things, Normani comes across as merely cosplaying her influences. The album leaves you questioning what Normani’s artistic perspective and creative vision actually are.
Commercially, Normani’s eagerly awaited debut will likely perform well off the strength of the long-standing hype and a few TikTok-ready singles that check all the right boxes. But artistically, it’s a shallow effort that wasn’t worth the six-year wait. Here’s hoping that in future projects, Normani will take the time to move beyond pastiche, find her own voice, and deliver the singular, definitive statement worthy of her talents that fans know she’s capable of.
All this and you still don’t make sense. This album is apart from everything that is online. Vocally she served as the tracks are not straight singing but fast paced. I repeat, nothing sounds as good as what has been released by normani asides Victoria Monet. Normani has always been in tune with 90s sound and is evident in her dopamine. It’s clear this has been influenced by the 90s rnb music yet you cannot place it as a direct imitation of any sound from the 90s. It stands on its own and is a testament to her hard work. Normani has with this album stood out as her own artist and is not going nowhere but up.
Big ups to her
I said what I said, IDGAF if you like it or not.
Victoria Monet, mariah the scientist and tinashe are making better music than Normani.
@Critics: Oooooooooh, ALL OF THIS. Very disappointing, indeed.
Your a lame. And u know it. We all posting and liking up and jamming to this Album. Noone will read your terrible rant you cowardly lame!
You’re a lamb and you know it. You can do whatever you want to, you’re nobody to speak for others. Actually a lot of people have already read this critic and i’m not sorry for you Karen.
Who? Why is that woman dressed in no clothes?
Sza needs to listen to this album as an example of why she should never again complain about having genres. If I buy an r&b album, I don’t want half of it to have all the elements of explicit rap music which is what Dopamine is with a couple of randomly placed pop songs that sound like they come from a different project. The industry needs to call an emergency meeting with Jimmy, Terry, Babyface and Harvey Mason to save this thing we call r&b.
I just feel like this album matches the aesthetics of wild side and should’ve been released 3 years ago when that song was. It probably would’ve slapped then. It’s a good album just seems dated a little upon first listen. I’m still going thru it tho.
lmao How can it feel “dated” if it all feels like Wild Side and Wild Side is a timeless Aaliyah sample?
🤷♂️ but I’m rooting for everyone black.
As much as I want Normani to WIN, this album is a let down. It is the musical equivalent of trying on clothes. People will only continue to talk if the planned visuals do the talking creatively and the choreo slaps. But as an aural project, it leaves MUCH to be desired.
Hopefully, she is prepared to redeem these songs as a performer…much like Chloe did with her debut.
But, hey, she has room to grow. And that’s what careers are made of.
FLOP hard! ZERO promotion. Nobody knows the album is out had me screaming.
The whole is dated and stuck in early 90s and 00s. Even you gave the whole album for Beyonce or Rihanna to record it, I guaranteed they will FLOP too.
It’s just not a good album as a whole. She and her team missed the mark.
6 years for what… this album should’ve been called melatonin instead of dopamine
But y’all all got it on repeat. KTSE u wanted when your favs dropped n just let the fans enjoy
Wow 🤐
What a disappointment.
I guess TGJ wrote this review in the hope their stateside journalists get an interview with Normani 🤷🏾♂️
I REALLY wanted her to win – but:
1. The album is shockingly 2 dimensional and I get Normani rides that mid-tempo lane but most songs sonically barely rouse the listener from a state of sleep induced boredom from the YAWN 🥱 of it all
2. How is it that “Wild Side” – “Waves” – “Motivation” – “Checklist” – “Slow Down” – “Love Lies” and even “New To You” are better than ANYTHING on this entire album????????
3. Whoever does her A&R should be shot – there isn’t ANYTHING – that screams RADIO – or HIT or SINGLE.
4. There are ELEVEN writers on “Little Secrets” 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️ When Beyoncé has eleven+ writers on a track she comes up with “Alien Superstar” – “Energy” – “Heated” and “Cozy”. The DIFFERENCE is that Beyoncé’s A&R GOT THE MEMO ON THE WHERE TF THEY WERE GOING SONICALLY
5. How is she gonna tour this album? It’s all downtempo – what kinda vibe is this for a live concert experience?????!!?
Either the Deluxe will have uptempo or danceable bonus tracks or she releases remixes or a new album at the top of 2025.
Sorry Normani. Sonically this is NOT “It” and you missed the mark.
All Yours is the only song I like in the entire album.
Oh wow I didn’t really match yall at all except 1 lol I love the whole album as a body of work though! Normani went off!!!
My Top 5:
1) Insomnia
2) Lights On
3) Grip
4) Big Boy
5) Little Secrets
We waited 6 years for an album full of generic R&B songs about s**. No creative storytelling or unique production… Normani is a disappointment
Nope! As a fan who has been riding with Normani since X-Factor I am deeply disappointed. The inspiration almost turns into a comedic imitation. From the Great Value Timbaland beats to the laughable Janet Jackson moans. I wanted this album to be personal, deep and really show us who Normani is and what she’s been doing the last 6 years we’ve been waiting as fans. Instead we get a cookie cutter R&B album that sounds like it should have came out in 2020. The album sounds like a bunch of hit chasers, and because of that, we don’t get anything substantial. All For You (the only song I like on the album) should have been the first single instead of the mediocre 1:59. But just like the roll out, her team messed that one up too.
The album is decent. You can tell a lot of the songs were recorded 2018-2021. That’s not a good thing lol. Where are the visuals? No performances?
This album gave me Azzzz cancer. Goodbye to everyone.