But, what’s not expected is Khalid’s tremendous vocal vigor - mirroring the experimental vocal ranks of a stripped-down Frank Ocean on Blonde and the synthesized, airy production of Childish Gambino on “Redbone.” His inflections’ cracks at points while delivering precise vocal shifts at other times. The record’s aesthetic - calm, passive and collected - is common sense the R&B/soul singer’s a proud El Paso native, after all. The piece brings warmth to a bitter winter’s day - and peace of mind in Khalid’s blatant honesty about unnoticed little nuances.

Nineteen-year-old singer Khalid does just that on American Teen, his light and beachy debut album.

By 18-years-old, Khalid, who is classically vocal trained, had drawn on his experiences with moving often and the unique experience of growing up having lived in two continents and parlayed them into the creation of his viral smash, “Location” which helped him to land a major label deal with Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records.Every once in a few lukewarm pop albums, we’re gifted something fantastic - a record with dynamicity that yanks at past heartstrings with resonance. The summer going into his senior year of High School, Khalid’s family was ordered to relocate to El Paso, TX. Khalid spent most of his childhood in Germany before moving to Watertown, NY for High School. He grew up in a military family, his mother is a singer with the Army and he was introduced to music at an early age. Khalid has been surrounded by music his entire life. The New York Times has called American Teen “a promising amalgam of bedroom art-soul and 1980s new-wave pop maximalism, and a union of lonely-boy mirror gazing with a sense of larger cultural purpose.” With its dreamy production and shimmering synths, the title track sums up the central theme.

Khalid wrote all of the music on American Teen, an album which paints a modern picture of growing up in the age of Uber and Instagram. 19-year-old singer/songwriter Khalid, releases his long awaited debut album, American Teen, which includes such buzzed about tracks as “Location,” “Let’s Go,” “Hopeless,” “Coaster,” “Saved,” “Shot Down” and the title cut, along with a number of highly anticipated unreleased songs.

Khalid album cover american teen