"Last Train to London (I Won't Look Back)" Released: 28 April 2023
Amelia is the debut studio album by British singer and songwriter Mimi Webb,[3] released on 3 March 2023 through Epic Records.[4] It was preceded by the singles "House on Fire", "Ghost of You" and "Red Flags",[5] while "Freezing" was released the same date as the album.[2] A week after the album's release, Webb began the Amelia Tour, visiting the UK and Europe.[6]
Background
Webb worked on the album for three years[6] and called it "the best version of me" and asked listeners "to accept vulnerability without judgement while you listen to this record".[5]Amelia is named for Webb's full first name, with Webb stating that there are "two sides" of her that she wants "people to get to know [...] Amelia, the girl from the UK countryside who loves to be at home with her family, friends, and dogs; and Mimi, the pop artist who loves to be up on stage traveling the world".[4] Webb announced the album on 12 October 2022, following the release of the second single "Ghost of You".[6]
Amelia received a score of 70 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on four critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[7] Otis Robinson of DIY called Amelia a "dependable, invigorating debut (chock full of unforgettable earworms) and its strengths lie in its biggest moments: particularly, those with clear Scandipop influences, like the Dagny-esque 'Freezing' and Sigrid-like, bubble-gummy 'Ghost of You'".[8] Bethan Eyre of The Line of Best Fit described the album as "jam packed with tracks soon to be on everyone's pre-drinks playlist come the weekend", finding that "although it may be straightforward, quintessential pop music, it is catchy quintessential pop music done well".[1] Ben Devlin, reviewing the album for musicOMH, felt that Amelia "isn't a concept record in the slightest, instead it's 12 pristinely-written tunes, eight of which are about break-ups (another two about rocky relationships) and despite the personal implications of the album's title these lyrics are defiantly general", also calling Webb "certainly a pleasant singer, her voice sounding like a less babyish Tate McRae". Devlin concluded that the album "knows what it wants to do and pursues this with relentless efficiency".[9] Kathleen Johnston, writing for The Daily Telegraph called all of the songs "undeniably well-made and catchy" but opined that the album "veers into all-too predictable territory in places, such as with 'Is it Possible'".[2]
