LISA Alter Ego

Critic's Take

LISA's Alter Ego is, in the reviewer’s clipped, disdainful tone, a lab-assembled pop record that only occasionally flickers to life. The best songs on Alter Ego - “Born Again”, “New Woman” and “Thunder” - are praised because collaborators and production supply the album's rare warmth and groove, not because Lisa herself stakes a clear artistic claim. The narrator is measured but cutting: the album feels sterile, A&R-curated and originality-free, yet songs like “Born Again” pulse with a groove that recalls contemporary pop highs. Overall, the review argues the magic belongs to collaborators rather than the star, which is why those tracks register as the album's highlights.

Key Points

• Born Again is best because collaborators and production give it warmth, groove and contemporary pop sheen.
• The album's core strength is high-quality production and guest contributions, but it suffers from manufactured identity and lyrical vacuity.

Themes

Critic's Take

Hey, it's me, Giggens, and I come away thinking the best songs on Alter Ego are the thrilling “Born Again” and the quietly powerful “Dream”. LISA sounds sensational on “Born Again” - the '80s slap bass, sweeping strings and palpable chemistry with Doja Cat and RAYE make it one of the year’s top singles. Meanwhile “Dream” is a career highlight, a minimal, heartfelt post-breakup song that lets her voice and warm chords truly shine. Other standout moments like “Rockstar” and “New Woman” show off her genre-hopping versatility, even if the flex tracks sometimes feel repetitive.

Key Points

• The best song is “Born Again” because of its soaring production, chemistry with Doja Cat and RAYE, and unforgettable chorus.
• The album's core strengths are LISA's genre-hopping versatility and moments of heartfelt minimalism that let her voice shine.

Themes

Critic's Take

Joshua Minsoo Kim writes that LISA's Alter Ego mostly registers as a commercial construct rather than a revealing personal statement, and that the best tracks - notably “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)” and “When I’m With You” - succeed by leaning on familiar formulas rather than bold invention. He argues that the album’s highlights feel acceptable rather than exciting, with the Tyla collaboration’s syncopation and the dreamy eroticism of “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)” offering the clearest pleasures. The review frames these songs as the best tracks on Alter Ego because they supply texture and restraint that the rest of the album lacks. Overall, Kim’s tone is critical and unsparing, noting that features often overshadow LISA and that the record rarely reveals depth.

Key Points

• The best song, “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)”, works by leaning on a beloved hook and converting it into dreamy sensuality.
• The album’s core strengths are its few feature moments and polished pop production, but overall it feels manufactured and shallow.

Themes

Critic's Take

LISA's Alter Ego feels like a glossy, focus-grouped debut where the guests often outshine the host: tracks such as “Born Again” and “When I'm With You” reveal the album's strongest moments, the former tapping 80s disco sleaze and the latter offering a softer contrast. Shaad D'Souza writes with impatience at the record's safe, megastar-minded construction, noting how Future and Tyla carve out real personality while Rosalía and Doja Cat are curbed by cookie-cutter productions. The best tracks on Alter Ego are those that let collaborators reshape the space - they expose Lisa's album as polished but emotionally thin. Overall, the record often feels less like a solo artistic statement and more like calibrated crowd-pleasing, which leaves songs like “Rapunzel” and “Elastigirl” sounding dated rather than defiantly new.

Key Points

• The best song is a guest-led moment like "When I'm With You" or "Born Again" because collaborators bring real personality.
• The album's core strength is its polished, megastar-ready production but it lacks emotional distinctiveness.

Themes

Critic's Take

LISA doesn’t so much debut as multiply on Alter Ego, and the best songs - notably “New Woman”, “Born Again” and “FXCK UP THE WORLD” - are where she locks into a clear mood and purpose. Crystal Bell’s take is that the record is dazzling and excessive, but when Lisa connects with a collaborator or a focused beat, as on “New Woman” with Rosalía, it becomes electrifying. The reviewer praises the album’s standout duets and braggadocious anthems while faulting the project’s fragmentation and surface-level spectacle. Ultimately, the critic frames these highlights as evidence that Lisa’s solo strengths emerge most vividly in ensemble moments, suggesting greater potential ahead.

Key Points

• ‘New Woman’ is best because it combines focused production with a powerful collaborative performance, making Lisa feel fully in control.
• The album’s core strengths are its bold production and collaborative highlights, though its excess and fragmentation undercut deeper artistic revelation.

Critic's Take

LISA\'s Alter Ego often shines brightest on its guest-studded, character-driven highs, where songs like “FXCK UP THE WORLD” and “Born Again” spotlight her swagger and pop instincts. Maura Johnston writes with a keen ear for persona, admiring how the Vixi-Future pairing and the Raye-Doja Cat torch-pop of “Born Again” let Lisa alternate between menace and coquettishness. The review favors the moments when her singing—winsome and sturdy—takes center stage, especially on “Moonlit Floor” and the effervescent “When I\'m With You”, which reveal a softer charisma. Overall Johnston frames Alter Ego as an encouraging first step, a solo record that wins by leaning into character and collaboration rather than a single steady identity.

Key Points

• The best song, "Born Again," is best for its torch-pop belting, saucy lyrics, and strong guest chemistry.
• The album\'s core strength is Lisa\'s versatility, using distinct personas and high-profile collaborations to navigate pop and hip-hop textures.