Immunity

At 20, Clairo is already such a fully-formed artist that it’s nothing short of thrilling to envision where she’ll go from here. Immunity highlights her vulnerabilities while showcasing the full range of her formidable strength as a producer and songwriter.

For all intents and purposes Clairo’s debut album, Immunity proves to be everything that people who’ve watched her ascent could hope for. She has set the stage to dominate her own slice of the forlorn indie-pop niche, alongside peers like Baker, Heynderickx, and Soccery Mommy.

Now with her debut album, Immunity, Clairo has found her sound, one more elaborate and fitting for the lyrical prowess that made “Pretty Girl” such a hit. The album hits a gorgeous peak with the fifth song, “Bags.”

For someone so young, Clairo has a clear grasp of the conundrums faced by people the world over: the difficulty of asking for help in an age that sees such requests as a weakness. Her aural apathy allows her to gain her listeners' trust and respect, because nothing conveys control, and therefore power, quite like a cool exterior. But, once roped in, said listeners then face the forthright lyrics that reveal Clairo as someone without all the answers.

Cottrill’s ability to work outside the mold of indie rock and close-to–the-bone commentary puts her in the same camp as contemporaries Mitski and Snail Mail, but there’s something about her aloofness and measured control that feels profoundly unique.

A brilliant debut that positions her as one of the brightest young songwriters operating in this age of internet bred pop stars.

The uptempo tracks are breezy and chill; the ballads are lush and deeply felt.

Clairo impressively broadens her sound on this strongly written debut album.

It's gorgeous, summery, dreamy pop. [Sep 2019, p.108]

The singer, born Claire Cottrill, delivers on that early promise on Immunity, which widens her sound without sacrificing the intimacy or the charm of “Pretty Girl.”

Immunity has just enough unforgettable glimmers to justify Clairo’s buzz. The question is whether listeners who weren’t already head over heels for her previously released music will hop on board too.

She turns eighteen this month, so raise your Big Gulp: as pop success stories go, this is a refreshing one.

Clairo's stylistic variability sets her apart from these artists however, and while some more time and resources wouldn't be unwelcome on a sophomore effort, Immunity confirms she's one to watch.

It’s simultaneously a gratifying and frustrating listen. A lot of the homespun charm of ‘Pretty Girl’ has been jettisoned. The synths have clearly been given an upgrade. The drums sound expensive. There are musicians here who can play, and are probably on union pay scale. But no amount of major label gloss or ill-advised interposing guitar licks can disguise Clairo’s irresistible melodic gift, and strangely haunting/haunted voice.