Post Malone’s very first country album came out in mid-August and, in my opinion, it’s one of the better albums I’ve ever listened to. Country is a genre I listen to from time to time, so his album wasn’t too different from a few songs on my playlist already.
Country music is a semi-new field for Malone, with most of his music in the past being rap or pop, but in recent years, Malone has expressed interest in giving country music a try. His first country song, “Pickup-man”, was a country hit single.
I enjoyed his new album, not just because it was from a familiar genre, but because if you know the entire story of Post Malone, “F1-Trillion” reveals a much deeper meaning.
Post Malone often shares his story of battling with heavy drug and alcohol addiction during his rise to stardom. He also talks about his commitment issues caused by addictions and destructive habits. Malone has since made significant developments, now having a fiance and a daughter, and I think his new album truly shows the contrast between these changes.
The album opens with the song “Wrong Ones”, which talks about being a bad influence and being surrounded by other malignant individuals. The main line repeated throughout the song, “I’m just looking for the right ones, but the wrong ones keep looking at me,” is representative of the very beginning of Malone’s career and how his drug addictions first started.
Further into the album, there are common themes of not caring about anything outside of music, loving money, and the “rock and roll” lifestyle. I interpret this as him recounting the experiences he’s gone through as a famous musician. In his lyrics, he talks about both the positives and the negatives of his time in the spotlight.
Above all else, this album is a show of increased maturity. Malone distanced himself from the drug-addicted superstar style that he used to live his life in and clearly doesn’t want to return. It portrays his desire to slow down and have a life outside of music, something he didn’t have in the past.
Post Malone’s story is more relatable to the average listener, as he found himself through trial and error rather than the effortless rise to fame that other musicians had.
While some artists loved music from a young age, enjoying the privilege of having familial support for all their work, the story of Post Malone is different. He was born in upstate New York and had been dealing with longstanding drug addiction and depression before he even started making music. He used music as an escape from those things. Unfortunately, his music propelled him deeper into his addictions and depression.
The final song on the album is a message to both his daughter and wife, saying they have his focus now. His heart had been filled with music, but now Malone wants to slow down and move away from the typical pop star lifestyle, giving sole attention to his developing family.
Overall, “F1-Trillion” inspires me, because one day, I also want to be a father. The story of how much Post Malone has matured made me realize how much I need to mature. So like Post Malone growing into the man he is now, I hope that one day I will be able to fully mature and become a man for my future family.
