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'Blush': Maya Hawke's debut album presents gorgeously mellow and emotional folk-rock gems that has fans in tears

In addition to being the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, she consistently proves she's more than just a star child through her artistry

Maya Hawke, famous for both her career as an actress, which includes roles on the show 'Stranger Things' and in the 2017 BBC adaptation of 'Little Women', and being the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, is now set to expand her artistry even further with her debut studio album, 'Blush', a collection of gorgeously mellow folk-rock tunes that prove Hawke is her own artiste. Originally set for a June release, Hawke elected to delay the release of 'Blush' out of respect for the Black Lives Matter protests. In a statement posted to her social media, she shared, "I feel like this is not a time for self-promotion. It is a time for activation, education, and self-examination." The album finally dropped on August 21, and Hawke's fans couldn't be happier. The album was evidently worth the wait.

'Blush' was preceded by the release of Hawke's singles 'To Love a Boy' and 'Stay Open', both penned and recorded by Hawke in collaboration with Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Jesse Harris. Hawke followed the release of these 2019 singles with a series of headlining gigs around New York City, supported by Benjamin Lazar Davis, Tōth, Will Graefe, and Nick Cianci. In March, Hawke finally introduced her audience to 'Blush' with the release of its first single, 'Be Myself', which was soon followed by a second single titled 'Coverage' accompanied by a music video directed by Hawke's father, Ethan. Now that the full album has dropped, it's evident Hawke's early singles were but a mere indication of what was to come.

Hawke's debut is a collection of indie folk-rock songs that demonstrate both her versatility as an artist and her skill as a writer. And to top it all off, her soothing voice elevates this record to something that is both reminiscent of some earlier soft rock tunes as well as more contemporary indie music that wouldn't be out of place in a film like 'Juno'. On a day where a whole lot of new music dropped, including BTS' single 'Dynamite' and Troye Sivan's EP 'In A Dream', it would have been easy for some to miss Hawke's big debut. But she's delivered such a quality album that it's easy to see how it didn't get buried under the stream of releases coming out at the same time. Still, the range of new music clearly overwhelmed some fans. "Goddammit Maya Hawke also dropped Blush the music gods are really trying to k*ll me huh I’m done for it’s been fun goodbye. I’m going to d*e now," read one tweet.

And while some were patiently waiting for Hawke's 'Blush', others who weren't ready for the release were caught off guard. Either way, however, listeners have nothing but praise to offer for the album. One fan stated, "This album was worth the wait," while another shared, "Wait I can’t believe how much I love this album, she reminds me so much of Norah Jones I am fully shaken by this album, holy s***." The comparison to Jones is entirely warranted, given Hawke's vocal chops as well as her jazzy folk sound both of which are beautifully presented on the opening track, 'Generous Heart', which would pair perfectly with Jones' iconic song, 'Come Away With Me'.

Tracks like 'Be Myself' reveal Hawke is just as comfortable with pop-leaning tracks, while 'Animal Enough' gives us a more classic rock sound from Hawke, proving the singer is a chameleon when it comes to effortlessly switching between genres. And if her musicality wasn't impressive enough, her lyrics deliver an emotional punch just as effortlessly. "Maya Hawke really popped off with the album and now I’m SO EMOTIONAL WOW HAHA," tweeted one fan after listening to the album.

Fans are already sharing their favorites off the record, with one track in particular evidently being the fan-favorite. One tweet read, "Goodbye Rocketship might just be my very favorite song in this entire world. Blush is such a brilliant album and I feel such a deep connection with every song. Thank you for sharing it with us," while another stated, "Goodbye Rocketship makes me wanna cry. I’m literally going to college next year this is really it :/ I’m not ready at all I’m gonna breakdown in three seconds."

All in all, this is a solid musical debut from Hawke and sets her apart as a singer as well as a songwriter. As one fan put it, "I’m so proud of you and so in love with this album already <3 I can’t wait to see what you do next."