3.5 out of 5.0 stars
Eighteen years ago, Paris Hilton released her debut album “Paris,” during an era that saw her as nothing more than a party girl or reality TV star on the hit show “The Simple Life.” Hilton’s new album “Infinite Icon” brings in a new level of maturity for Hilton. After overcoming backlash in the media, abuse at boarding schools and institutions for “troubled teens” and an ADHD diagnosis, Hilton returns to the music industry with a fresh start.
Her first track, “Welcome Back,” calls out the grip that the media has had on Hilton. She sings, “No, I’m not your property / You stole my voice like robbery.” In the chorus and outro of the song, she repeats, “Welcome back, b—” as a way to reclaim her identity, which was stolen from her after a 2004 sex tape was released by her then-boyfriend without her consent. As a song, there is not much that stands out about “Welcome Back.” She opens strong, but then relies on autotune for many parts of this track, which makes it nothing more than a generic pop opener with an inspiring message of resilience.
The next track, “I’m Free,” is another song that hints at Hilton’s relationship with the media. She sings, “I’m free to do what I wanna do / It’s my life.” With a driving pulse and angelic vocals from Rina Sawayama — notable for her track in “John Wick: Chapter 4” titled “Eye for an Eye”— “I’m Free” gives listeners a fun, upbeat vibe compared to the first track.
“Chasin’” delves into a theme of toxic relationships and includes a collaboration with Meghan Trainor that adds to the value of the track. Despite the heavy autotune, their vocals meld well together alongside the backdrop of trumpets, making the track bright and distinct from the others.
Megan Thee Stallion saves and even overshadows Hilton in her feature on the track “BBA.” The energy on the track is almost reminiscent of the Hilton in “Paris.” The track is one of the best on the entire album, but only because of Megan’s authentic singing style contrasted with Hilton’s heavily autotuned and enhanced vocals.
Featuring Sia, “Fame Won’t Love You” gives listeners a look at Hilton’s journey with motherhood. The lyric, “Fame won’t love you like a mother, like a father should” highlights her growth from the early 2000s to her role as a mother now. However, the track feels dated, with a synthetic beat that was common in 2000s pop music. The only thing that saves this track is Sia’s vocals. Just like the previous track, a guest feature improves the song.
“ADHD” brings an electric, vibrant feeling to the album, but once again relies on autotune far too heavily to be engaging on its own. The track does have an inspiring message, touching on the pop star’s ADHD diagnosis through lyrics like “Thank you to me / My superpower was ADHD.”
“Legacy” is just like the other tracks: unremarkable. It’s not great, but it’s not terrible. It has the same reliance on autotune, but is not covered up by a featured artist or background instrumentals. Its message falls flat as a simple, generic pop song about a romantic relationship.
Hilton focuses on the present in “Stay Young” through lyrics like, “I never wanted to grow up, no / I wanted to stay young forever more.” After going through a troubled transition to adulthood in the spotlight, she reflects on a longing to enjoy her current stage of life through this song. The message is strong and the vocals combined with the energetic beat make it an enjoyable listen, but the track still does not have a distinct appeal.
“Infinity” blends Hilton’s voice well with synth pop and creates an out-of-this-world feeling. It includes a smooth beat with no aspect of the track being drowned out. There is also an overarching theme of love and self-empowerment that the track delves into, as seen when she sings “You stopped the world when you put me first.” Her new album has been dealing with self-growth and holding onto the ones that matter most, which this song encapsulates.
“If the Earth is Spinning,” once again featuring Sia, and “Without Love,” featuring Argentine singer Maria Becerra, are the most captivating tracks on the entire album. They are catchy, fun and bright, giving listeners a perfect blend of autotune and authentic vocals as well as a steady speed that makes them easy to dance to. There is no theme that relates to her personal life in either, but both share a universal message that tells audiences to keep going and to surround themselves with love. As cliché as the messages are, they are relatable.
“Adored” is a mediocre end to the album and is like every other track — fun, but nothing remarkable. The track does its job as a pop album and includes a nice send-off. Hilton expresses gratitude and sings, “So this is what it’s like to be adored, like to be adored / Anything and everything that I could ever wish for.”
The entire album has some tracks that provide a nice balance between vocals, autotune and synth pop. The messages of self-growth, resilience and gratitude throughout the album are heard in almost all the tracks. This album highlights a new Paris Hilton, one who is ready to face the world after much backlash and media attention. However, it is not redefining or saving pop, as Hilton has stated in interviews about the album. The closest thing to saving her album is the many features she had, from Megan Thee Stallion to Sia and others. “Infinite Pop” is mediocre and does not stand out as an album, nor does it hold any significance in the wider music industry.
