Succeeding a Year of High Notes: SPELLLING and the Album that Stole Hearts in 2025
Deciphering the DNA of SPELLLING’s music saga, a journey of relentless innovation that has often cut through the banality of the pop genre, Chrystia Cabral branched into unchartered territories with her fourth album “Portrait of My Heart”. Lauded for its rawness and genuineness, this soundtrack of personal experiences brought unforeseen depth to her musical offerings in 2025.
Leaping from early artistic expeditions of handmade CD releases to self-releasing her debut album and finally burrowing into a more experimental genre, Chrystia Cabral has always pushed musical boundaries. Her fourth album “Portrait of My Heart”, however, moved away from allegorical storytelling and engaged in a mirror-image narrative of her personal journey addressing love, anxiety, alienation and her sense of self. The ambitious nature of SPELLLING’s pursuit became apparent as her fixation on authentic expression of her inner universe was reflected in the melodious soundscapes of her album.
Notable for its tight, rock-solid composed rhythms that replaced the album’s predecessor’s more baroque architecture, “Portrait of My Heart” was a refreshing departure into a new sound, one that invited listeners to venture on a journey through Cabral’s personal experiences. The transformation towards an energetic, immediate sound was a direct result of Cabral’s evolving writing approach, invigorated by her collaboration with musicians Wyatt Overson, Patrick Shelley, and Giulio Xavier Cetto.
Her invigorated approach was also reflected in her collaboration choices, breaking through the isolation in which she used to refine her magnificence. Producers Drew Vandenberg, who previously worked with SPELLLING on “The Turning Wheel”, alongside Rob Bisel and Psymun, provided a transformational touch. Album guests like Chaz Bear and Pat McCrory also added to the masterpiece. Drawing in influences from Toro y Moi and Turnstile respectively, recognisable strokes of their artistry can be found on “Mount Analogue,” and a piano demo for “Alibi” is processed into a feisty rock version.
Of course, the accolades do not stop at collaborations and stellar production team, Chrystia’s feat during the Melancholy Tour further attested to her growing prowess. The tour saw SPELLLING sharing the stage with Japanese Breakfast across North America, further establishing her imprint in the musical world.
In her own words, Chrystia showed a hitherto unseen side in “Portrait of My Heart”. Her guarded personality and oscillating approach towards relationships offered a vulnerable, yet bold statement reaffirming SPELLLING’s ascendant position in the music scene. The unabashed exploration of her inner life in this open diary, indubitably, propelled SPELLLING into a position of speculative intrigue, heralding a surge of anticipation for her future releases.