Lessons to be Learned - Gabriella Cilmi

Gabriella Cilmi is the breakout female vocal Australian talent of 2008 and at just 16 years of age, this Melbournian may well have many decades of success ahead of her.

Her album Lessons to be Learned has peaked at two on the ARIA charts, gone gold and is still in the top ten. The album’s lead single ‘Sweet About Me’ spent several weeks at number one on the ARIA charts earlier this year.

Cilmi is a refreshing talent for the pop charts. She has a good vocal range, proving that she is a solid talent. But more importantly, her thoughtful lyrics separate her music from a lot of other mainstream fair. Her mixture of confidence and an unwillingness to let herself be objectified for the pleasure of men makes her a more positive role model than the more high profile ladies of pop floating around.

In ‘Sweet About Me’, Cilmi insists there is “nothing sweet about me” and sings about the chaos of negotiating romance:

“If there’s lessons to be learned, I’d rather get my jamming words in first, oh. When you’re playing with desire, don’t come running to my place when it burns like fire.”

Cilmi sounds like she wants to protect herself from getting too hot, too soon. She doesn’t want to get burned. Her lyrics echo the words and cautionary tone of the female lover in Song of Solomon repeated in chapters two, three and eight: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires”.

She continues with this theme in songs ‘Awkward Game’ and ‘Don’t Wanna go to Bed Now’ which also seem to be about avoiding any intimate encounters with a prospective lover, despite them both having passions for consummation.

In energetic album opener ‘Save the Lies’ Gabriella demands nothing less than the best from the man she loves.

“Save the lies, I’m a-saying I might get a bit rough, if he ain’t good to me.”

The Bible reminds us about the importance of fidelity. As far as society might drift from Christian values, it seems most people still value honesty and faithfulness when it comes to romantic relationships. Cilmi might not realise it, but there are at least three commandments that she is specifically concerned about her man breaking. She does not want him lying to her, she dos not want him committing adultery and she does not want him taking the woman of another. And of course, as we disobey any of these commandments we have also failed to love the Lord our God and we have idolised our particular sin.

Cilmi also poses some of the bigger questions about life in her lyrics as God is on her lips in numerous songs.

‘Einstein’ is a surprising song for its depth and its searching questions. Many of the lyrics express a pain she feels about life in this world:

“I’d like to think like Einstein, know the equal of pi
And never need to as why, why, why boys don’t cry
Where we go when we die, and what’s the meaning of life

The lessons I’m learning just leave me burning for more and more
I lie awake hoping Jesus ain’t joking, I’m sure that he’s sure

So tell me why the world keeps on turning, turning
And why so many people are hurting, hurting
How we traded honesty for lying, lying
Cause we’re only gonna make it if we’re trying, trying”

In Job 24:12 Job poses similar questions: “The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing.”

Cilmi, like Job, observes the fallen nature of the world and wonders if things will ever be made right. But just as Cilmi hopes “Jesus ain’t joking” and just as Job came to the right conclusions after God assured him of his perfect justice, as Christians, we can have certainty in both God’s justice and mercy. We can trust in Christ’s death for our sins to make us right with God and we can also be assured the Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead as Peter preaches in Acts 10.

Finally, in the rocking track ‘Terrifying’ Cilmi sings: “I believe there’s a God, making my time, baking my bread.”

CIlmi sings as one who has God on her mind often and who is not afraid to share that.

While Cilmi has posed many worthwhile questions without giving too many definitive answers, she has certainly produced a very enjoyable and thoughtful pop album. I recommend it.