Rachel Chinouriri - What A Devastating Turn Of Events

“Erm, I think we should record that,” says Rachel Chinouriri on the opening track of her debut album, ‘What A Devastating Turn Of Events’. By the end of the track, you’ll be glad she did, and the same can be said for the rest of the album, too.

Learning to grow through what you go through is a journey – in the face of hardship, seeing the other side of it can be an impossible task. For Rachel, though, she’s seemingly mastered the art. Her debut doesn’t shy away from the deeply affecting; her voice is soft and sweet but her lyrics are often stirringly candid. Death, losing control, belonging, heartache – they all get their airtime in equally heart-aching tales. Yet, there’s a stream of light that threads its way throughout the album, something to cling to and eventually be encompassed by.

The euphoric guitars of ‘The Hills’ are just as cathartic as the outraged ‘fuck you’ of ‘It Is What It Is’, delivered with the dry wit of someone completely done with a situation. With the help of her friends (“No, no, no, Rachel!”) immortalised in voice notes, the album takes on a forwards-trajectory. From start to end, there’s a real sense of ploughing through. With every frustration and tragedy, Rachel is ready to be over it, and the album proves a means of allowing that.

‘Dumb Bitch Juice’ and its self-aware depiction of poor-decision making will no doubt resonate with many of her listeners, whilst the album’s title-track’s driving beat is a backdrop to a truly heartbreaking story. Rachel weaves a rich story, one that comes with a myriad of lessons to be taken forward, all to the soundtrack of dreamy guitars and sparkling soundscapes. It is a page turned for her, a reminder of everything she has been through, but proof she has made it to the other side and can move on. The dizzy romanticism of ‘So My Darling’, the final track on the album, feels like her landing on a new destination – one where she can relish the good that is coming.