Troye Sivan released his highly anticipated third studio album, “Something to Give Each Other,” on Oct. 13.
After dropping the high-energy, feel-good, sex-positive summer anthems “Rush” and “Got Me Started,” fans were excited about the direction Sivan’s album was going.
Sivan shared his inspiration for the album with Dua Lipa on her BBC podcast “At Your Service.”
“I went through this massive breakup and then I think I had this idea in my head that I was the authority on intimacy and what real intimacy was, he said. “And then in being single, I thought I was going to write a breakup album which bummed me out. I didn’t want to do it.”
Sivan continued, “I started to open myself up the tiniest little bit to new people, everything started to click into my head where I was like, I’m single, I’m still kind of young. I fell in love with going out and partying.”
Sivan set out to create an album that pays homage to being young and single. It’s an album about going out, having fun, finding community, experimenting, feeling your best and, most importantly, leading with resilience.
“Something to Give Each Other” is a young person’s manifesto from start to finish. It outlines a fearless lifestyle of welcoming new people and experiences into your life, whether that’s love, lust, friendship or anything in between.
The album had some breakup ballads like “Still Got It” and “Can’t Go Back, Baby.” Both tracks feel deeply intimate; they are gentle and quiet glimpses into Sivan’s more personal relationships.
He doesn’t seem angered by the breakup; instead, he seems happy to have had the experience and ready to move on. These songs exemplify the lighthearted mood he hopes to evoke throughout the album.
The album’s closing track, “How to Stay with You,” serves as the album’s thesis. The song focuses on missed connections and feeling lost. There is no resolution; the track feels open-ended.
Sivan does not end with the sentiment of finding the love of his life. Instead, he ends with this idea that the future could hold anything and it’s okay not to be on the timeline society expects you to be on. There’s a level of comfort in the uncertainty.
Rolling Stone reported that the album was a testament to the fact that everything will be okay. There is a light at the end of a breakup, and the journey of finding that light could be just as exciting, wild, intense and passionate as the relationship.
Along with the album release, Sivan dropped another music video for his latest single, “One of Your Girls.” Sivan stunned viewers with his drag getup as he prances with Ross Lynch, who serves as the video’s love interest.
The upbeat pop song has shockingly melancholy lyrics. “Give me a call if you ever get lonely/I’ll be like one of your girls or your homies/ Say what you want and I’ll keep it a secret.” Sivan refers to the struggle of keeping relationships with seemingly straight men. The song gives insight into how internalized homophobia plays into modern hook-up and DL culture.
This album is a glimpse into what life can be after letting go of expectations and prioritizing having fun. It’s a stark reminder to enjoy your 20s and focus on making memories. Sivan is a pro at disguising heavy messages in upbeat tracks perfect for a pregaming playlist before listeners’ next night out.
