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
Led by the downtempo outsider's anthem “Here,” the debut from Canadian singer/songwriter Alessia Cara is like a club for people who never wanted to join one. Moving effortlessly from whipsmart pop (“Seventeen”) to Amy Winehouse–style soul (“Outlaws”) to subtle bangers and vulnerable confessions, Cara—like Lorde—has the rare gift of being able to present the conflicted moods of youth with clarity and poise. She’s the contrarian who manages to bring all the other contrarians together.