Kate Hudson – Glorious | 365 Days Of Inspiring Media

Virgin Music Group

Release Date: May 17th 2024

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

Kate Hudson– Glorious (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

Gonna Find Out
Fire
The Nineties
Live Forever
Talk About Love
Love Ain’t Easy
Romeo
Never Made A Moment
Lying To Myself
Not Easy To Know
Glorious
Touch the Light

You only have one first single. And I wanted it to be something delicious and sexy and all the things that I believe in. I wanted it to be open and seeking, searching to find something powerful. But I also wanted the music to be the rock, the pop, the dance music and even a bit of the alternative records I love. It was a lot to put into one song, but thankfully, I had some wonderful people working with me. And so, here we are!

I have always had a room for my piano ever since I began living on my own. And I’ve been caught up writing and witnessing life in songs since I was a child. But, you know, it always comes down to the moment and the ability to make sure you can be there for the music. And that was really important to me. To have it come from that really authentic place and focus. So finally, for me that time is now.

How do you ever know [when the right time is to release an album]? And then one day, you’re writing, and you think, ‘Now.’ Linda [Perry] challenged me to write a full album once she heard me sing and that’s when I decided to complete the song cycle. It might’ve been crazy to some, but once I committed, all the songs, the sounds and even the way the recording process came together, the timing was right.

There’s so much I can say about Kate Hudson. But it isn’t about Kate the singer or Kate the songwriter or Kate the performer. Kate is a well accomplished actress- just take a look at her filmography, and she is well known for films like Almost Famous, Knives Out, Music, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Raising Helen and Nine to name a few. She’s well known for her romantic comedies, and she’s relatable and relevant to many women who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s. But as a musician… well I didn’t even know that Kate was interested in music nor even in the midst or writing and recording a debut album until in February this year when the lead single “Talk About Love” released. But that’s the thing about COVID-19. It forces you to stay inside in your bubble, and then forces you to be introspective. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Kate decided that it was time to record an album- and the lead single (which has now morphed into this debut album of Glorious) was the first piece of that puzzle that just dropped this past week. And will this result in album number 2? Is Kate pivoting into music and abandoning acting? While many critics wonder whether this is a legit thing or not and whether “Talk About Love” is impressive or boring; let’s hear from Kate herself about the song-writing process and her headspace when going into this song and upcoming album.

I’m such a music lover, so my influences are varied and all over the place. I grew up in the ’90s, so hip-hop was huge in California and that’s a love of mine. I’m a big jazz head. But my influences for the album are largely rock. The decision to make an album was keeping an open slate. I didn’t want to have any preconceived concept of what I wanted it to sound like. I figured, I’m just going to come in and see what happens.

Meeting the music where I’m at right now is important for me, as well as not repeating any old things I’ve done. I dreamed of being in music. So out of that came a lot of different influences in my life, especially women who I’ve loved: Patty Griffin, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, and Cyndi Lauper. I look at some of these songs I wrote for the album and they remind me of different people and different genres. It had to have a through-line once I picked the songs that were going to be included.

I’ve got really tough skin. I can handle sassy headlines and I can take the noise out of things when it comes to acting, fashion, or whatever else. But when it comes to your own words, your love of art, and putting yourself out there, it’s scary and it hurts. I wasn’t ready for that yet. I’ve always said this: If I’m going to do music, I love it too much to not honor it properly. I don’t want to just come in, have a ton of writers, and not treat it with the respect that I see for this modality of art. I have to live in it and do it properly. It just wasn’t the time. Frankly, I didn’t choose to have the time. I also was involved with men in the music industry, and I think two touring families would be too hard. I don’t even know how that would work.

One of the reasons I liked the album title, Glorious, is because it’s very reflective. It’s all of these love stories in my life, including with my children. One song is actually a third-person reflection. I won’t say which song, because then it’ll change the song for everybody, but it’s about how one of my partners saw me. I was speaking from his point of view. I wanted to be more of an open channel. It’s sort of like a life well loved in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Even a one-night stand with somebody is glorious, too.

So I don’t think there’s any narrative that feels like it’s from the beginning, middle, and end. I find, as a public figure, people have this expectation that you’re either political or you need to be an activist. Throughout my life, if there’s anything I want to talk about, or give, or share, it’s about connection and love, because I think it’s the hardest and most important thing. We get caught up in so much pain. We all feel it, we all have it, and then we forget how to open our hearts. I believe that’s the only way we can heal or change anything. That’s why I, quite literally, talk about love on “Talk About Love.” It’s a simple narrative, but it was really like, That’s what we should be talking about. Why is it so hard to let people, in the purest form, know what it is to love and feel loved? If we did, the world would be a completely different place. That’s what I like to talk about. That’s my activism.

“Talk About Love”, the track I gravitate to right off the bat, is song #5, and is an 80’s, synth driven and electro-pop melody similar musically to Fleetwood Mac and Mandy Moore from Silver Landings onwards. Kate’s song isn’t your straight up pop- it’s more alternative with an edge, and I’m glad it’s not like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Sabrina Carpenter, Demi Lovato, Ava Max, Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, Tate McRae and others. I know, these artists probably do have their place and their fans in the music industry at the moment. However, “Talk About Love” with a throwback 80’s sound is way more interesting, and with this track just generally being a very poppy song, a very optimistic song lyrically; there’s the sense of charm and innocence and just likeability about this melody and about Kate. Kate sings about letting your hair down and not being so uptight, and just living life in the moment because you can sometimes get in your head when you focus too much on the past or the future. And though that might sound hedonistic at first, what Kate sings about in this track is actually true. We don’t know that tomorrow for us is even promised. Dwelling on the past too much isn’t healthy at all either. And so, living in the moment, not in a ‘sow-your-wild-oats’ kind of way, but in a determined, meaningful, and purposeful way (which is what I reckon Kate suggests anyway, as she talks about love in general, for her family, for her friends, and for the human race); is what is needed and is what has encouraged her. Perhaps I’m reading too much into this song. Maybe it is a pop song that isn’t about anything much. But the fact that this melody can be read in so many levels is judos to Kate for being ‘vague’ and also ‘intentional’ enough for be interesting and to allow us all to read whatever we want to on any particular song. It’s a skill, and a real good skill to have.

The rest of Glorious is in fact… gloriously powerful and by far the crowning achievement in terms of most impacting album of the year so far. It’s an unexpected ride but one I’m definitely most welcoming. Opening with the sassy, fun, flirty and passionate “Gonna Find Out”, we can see instantly that this is a folk/rock album with a bit of pop sprinkled in, as Kate assures us that she means business, and that she is here to stay, as she sings about the things that are near and dear to her heart. “Gonna Find Out” is a rock tune at core, about the persona wanting connection on a physical level yet also a soul level as well- and this feisty and spirited track ticks all of the boxes of what is incredibly poignant and impacting about a Kate Hudson song. It’s bold, fearless, unashamed, and super catchy. With this melody imparting to us a sense of wonderment at the world and questioning about whether the persona’s partner/lover is a match for them or not, this song speaks to the core of what humans are all about. We’re all about connection, and we’d do anything to find it, in all sorts of places. “Fire”, a country-esque melody akin to something Shania Twain would record, speaks about a love gone sour, and Kate-as-the-persona quelling the love as there’s a ‘fire’ that has gone cold for one reason or another while the subdued electric guitar prominent ballad “The Nineties”, is a personal highlight, as she directs the hard-hitting and no-holds-barred anthem at critics and haters who are gunning for her for no apparent reason, as she fervently concludes that even though she was a product of the 90’s, she’s doing her best, and that everyone else should stay in their lane and she stay in hers, and that no one should tear down another just for fun. It’s a ‘protest’ song and a song I don’t really expect from someone in their debut album. But as Kate has been in the entertainment industry for so long, and as she has imparted all that she has known and all of her wisdom into this melody of emotion and feeling, the result is an honest anthem about being your own individual person and not bending backwards or compromising for anyone.

“Live Forever”, a tear-jerker of a piano and acoustic guitar ballad, speaks about Kate’s unbreakable bond and love for her children (again an album highlight, and a track to be repeated!) while the country/rock-esque “Love Ain’t Easy” highlights the ups and downs of love in all of its facets and complications, with Kate lamenting about the fact that sometimes, love isn’t enough for relationships (romantic and platonic!) to survive and thrive- a fact of life that sometimes we ignore, but need to accept in order to be present in the moment and be grateful for new and sustaining relationships as they arise and continue in our lives. Kate also concludes that she will wait for the other person to sort out their stuff- which is commendable and applaudable, and something we all should do more of- be patient and kind and non-judgemental. “Romeo”, a 70’s and 80’s inspired rocker, is a sweet and modern take on what makes a man (or person) a candidacy for being a potential partner- Kate lists off all of her admirable attributes in a man, and you can’t help but smile at this semi-satirical piece for being so bold and unflappable. “Never Made A Moment”, a personal acoustic guitar led ballad, speaks about the importance of family and has Kate honouring and paying homage and tribute to her family, friends, roots and the things that made her, her; as she also sings about the sum of all of her parts, and how they’re all equally important in shaping her to who she is today. Also in keeping with the theme of honesty, “Lying To Myself” speaks about needing that space to know exactly what you want, and is where Kate admits that she seems stifled by a person who she believes to be ‘too much’ and she needs space from that person for perspective- and this admission is quite admirable and is something that people don’t so often, as sometimes we ‘grin and bear’ a situation when all we need to do is just to speak up and speak out.

“Not Easy To Know”, a vulnerable and emotional piano led country-style ballad, dives deep into Kate’s fears, hopes, dreams and vulnerabilities, where she also hopefully expresses that she’s trying to be the person everyone expects her to be, while also being her own person- a feat that is sometimes overwhelming and suffocating- a track about mental health and trying to appear to be ok when she sometimes isn’t, is a song that I’m sure may be hard to hear for some, but undoubtedly healing for others. The title track follows, and is the magnum opus of the entire album, as Kate vocally excels beyond what I reckon we could ever imagine, lamenting on a lost love and singing from her heart about the good times and the glorious times- kind of a therapeutic, cathartic, and spiritual experience. Glorious then ends with “Touch The Light”, another powerful melody about holding the ones you love close, and trying to reconnect with people with whom you may have lost contact with, but also wishing them well. As Kate also mentions, the song is about the end of the recording process for this album too!: It’s what this process was like for me. It’s reaching for the things that move you and bring light into your life. It’s an upward motion. It’s like the light is up there and in your dream. It’s what heals us. It could be considered a sort of religious thing, but I think of it more as an energy. When you can touch the light, you become one in it. That imagery for me is when we heal through things and move through things — you’ve got to just keep walking toward the light. I remember when I wrote that final song, there was no structure to it. But I realized it was an important song and I was like, I can’t mess this up. For me, that translates to building the live experience musically and incorporating some of my heroes into these things.

I’m an open book. I’ve always been pretty open. I don’t feel like there’s anything off limits except having a public therapy session. I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s important to share these things and connect on relatable things. You can have very different lives from other people, but there are so many relatable themes everyone has, especially motherhood. You could come from completely different walks of life, but be able to relate to that feeling of when your children leave home. That’s what compelled me to write “Live Forever.” But unless it’s very obvious, I don’t think it’s good to give everybody what all of the songs are about, because then it takes it away from their own experience.

My intention isn’t just to be a recording artist and a performer. I love writing. My hope is that people invite me into their circles and I can work with them. I would love to write for other artists and then bring it into film, television, and musicals. It’s been a dream of mine to write a musical. I have an idea and it’s not a typical one. I would love to perform on Broadway. I definitely want to make more albums. I have so much to give. I’ve been sitting on this album and writing it for so long, and now that it’s here I’m like, I can’t wait to get back in the studio and write some more.

At the start of Kate Hudson’s announcement of her debut album Glorious, I was intrigued, and eagerly I anticipated this project. Now… I think I’m a lifelong fan, as Glorious in my honest opinion, is faultless and flawless- the calibre of a veteran. I don’t know how Kate did it. But she defied the odds, silenced the critics, and created a masterpiece. In truth, we all weren’t expecting it. Many actors have tried their hand at music. Many singers have tried their hand at acting. Many try to do both. Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Sabrina Carpenter. Sofia Carson. Jeremy Renner. Dennis Quaid. Kevin Costner. Jack Black as front man of Tenacious D. And now, let’s add Kate Hudson to the list; and let us hope and pray that whatever Kate does next (another album, tour, more acting opportunities, writing a musical, performing on Broadway) is just as engaging and just as powerful as this deeply personal, and highly impressive batch of debut songs. An actor baring their soul in the studio is a big risk. Yet this time, it has worked, as Glorious is indeed more glorious than anything we could conjure up. The risk Kate weighed up and took, is worth it in spades!

Yes [I will be graded on a different scale as an actor turned singer-songwriter], but I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to read about it. It’s different because I’m so known for what I’ve done in my life as an actor. I know the critical side of it is different. I really hope it’s received with the same warmth that I put into it, but it’s going to be what it’s going to be. I also have to say there’s been so much encouragement. I’ve only felt positive energy around this album. People have been so kind to me. Even my friends who are in the music industry have been wonderful. I don’t take that lightly. So when it comes to what’s going to happen, I don’t know. But I feel very cozy right now with how people have been responding.

I didn’t do this [make this album] to then just stop. I did it because I love it so much, and I hope I get to be writing music until I die. It will always be something I’m doing. But I hope that I can do it in a way that can connect me with different artists that I admire. So yeah, there’s definitely going to be more music. If I have anything to say about it, there will be.

Spiritually, [Glorious], it did unlock something. I always go for weird metaphors, but it’s like a rose bush that hasn’t started blooming yet, and there are all these little buds just waiting to open. Once one starts to go, then they all open up into this big beautiful thing. That’s what it feels like. It’s made the focus of my acting more specific, because I don’t want to be doing things that aren’t bringing me the same sense of fulfilment.

When you think about the things in your life that matter to you creatively, and when you’re doing what you love the most, it kind of becomes a domino effect into everything else. The choices become different. Like, do I want to make this film if I don’t have that kind of deep connection to it? If not, then it makes the no’s easier. Choosing to make the album did actually affect that. It’s liberating.

I did what I said I was going to do, and that feels like a pinch-me moment. There were so many opportunities for me to say, “This is too much” or “I don’t have the time for this.” I could’ve done that, and instead, I chose to stick with it, and I’m so happy that I did. I just didn’t realise how much I needed it spiritually.