Sophomore Glory: Celeste - 'Woman Of Faces' Review

CELESTE: WOMAN OF FACES

SCORE: 87/100 - 8.7

'Woman Of Faces' feels like the perfect album for November as the season gets colder and the sky gets darker - and it's the perfect amount of soft and chilly to feel like it's just right for the winter.

Celeste is someone whom I had not heard of prior to this album being released, and I was immediately drawn in by her vintage vocal style. With vocal jazz and soul elements coming together into a dark, moody, almost Amy Winehouse/Nina Simone-esque project, 'Woman Of Faces' is one of the most surprising and unique albums of the year. 

The instrumental work on the album is dark and gloomy with elements of cinematic soundscapes that allow for Celeste's vocal performances to be the star of the album - marking her as one of the best vocalists of this generation with her captivating second album setting the score for one of the most stunning albums 2025 has to offer. The sound is haunting while still being something eerily soothing - and it feels like a dark road through the fog of self-discovery and life. 

Despite the modern release for this album, Celeste sounds like an item of the past in the best way possible. She takes and reinvents all of the greatest, sharpest aspects of vintage rhythm and blues and creates something lush and atmospheric in every verse, and every single melody differs from the one that came before it - making 'Woman Of Faces' a distinctive and versatile project that showcases the artistry and signature sound of Celeste incredibly well. 

Waite manages to swap between soulful melodies to strained belts - but her strained vocals aren't weighed down; they're brought up by emotion. Every song is something new, and it mixes consistent sounds and styling choices to make for an album that is perfectly formatted and highly enjoyable to listen to. 

This album helps to bring up Waite's potential as a larger name, and she's already on the right path. The potential from this album leads into chances for her to expand even further while continuing to keep and cater her sound and distinctive style - and her influences from past greatness in the music scene allow for her to truly thrive. It's rare that a vocalist can shine as bright as this - but Waite manages to do just that only two albums in to her career. 

It's a delightfully opulent release, with a rich soundscape and smooth deliveries that mix cinematic instrumentals full of strings and stunning arrangements alongside the raw emotional power held by Waite's vocals - 'Woman Of Faces' is one of the most delicately luxurious projects of the decade.