“Red Moon in Venus” is the Underrated Album

Aidan Salas 

Music Journalist

The title of Kali Uchis’ third studio album brings a supernal vibe when you read Red Moon in Venus. A red moon is rare which brings this once in a lifetime feel when you listen to the album. Kali Uchis has always played with genres in her albums and doesn’t mind mixing opposite genres in one album; Red Moon in Venus is a product of it. 

As a music lover, I do have to say Kali Uchis is a special artist to me. As someone who is Mexican American and loves listening to the genre of R&B and the childhood memories of listening to Cumbia, Latin pop, and Latin urban, Kali beautifully blends these genres of music as a proud statement to the world of someone who is Latino in the United States. Kali is not afraid to sing in two different languages in one album, let alone one song; and she does it in an astonishing way.  

Prior to Red Moon in Venus, Kali Uchis had the breakout sophomore album with Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) released on November 18, 2020. This album served multiple Latin genres and had the blockbuster song “Telepatia.” The general public generally states Sin Miedo or Isolation, her debut album as her best work, but I beg to differ. Red Moon in Venus captures Kali’s angelic sultry voice with the R&B dreamy production and Spanish flavor she does well. 

The intro to the album “in My Garden…” easily draws your attention and prepares you for the overall vibe and feel of the album with its shiny vibraphone and garden background sounds. Then softly transitions to the first single “I Wish You Roses,” a slow dreamy song that talks about an ex-relationship and wishing them well in their next chapters with their life. She says, “But if you and my heart / should someday drift apart / I’ll make sure to give these blessings / because they’re all I’ve got”. Lyrically, this song is very different because it talks about a relationship that ended, but you still want them to be good. Wanting their life and yours to be apart but still say “I wish you roses.” The next track is a quick 180. “Worth the Wait (feat. Omar Apollo” is like Kali says in the song, “Baby, you know I’m a freak.”  Sexy and intimacy are the two words that describe the song and give that vibe when you listen. However, there is a twist at the end of the song when she says “Quit telling me you wanna put a baby in me / I don’t wanna end up just another broken family.” This shows some concerns and hesitations she sees with her partner that she’s talking about.  

“Love Between,” “All Mine,” and “Fantasy (feat. Don Toliver)” are all getaway love songs. “Love Between” is a song that is about two human beings in love and it being the most powerful experience. What is interesting about “All Mine” is that it is the getaway love song. Not needing outsider opinions and only needing their smile for reassurance. While “Fantasy” has a more of a spicy feel to it. In the middle of the album is where she switches it up. From English to Spanish, “Como Te Quiero Yo” and “Hasta Cuando” are some of my favorites. It brings the other side of Kali that we all love. Tongue-in-cheek is what Kali Uchis does really well,and “Endlessly,” “Moral Conscience,” and “Not Too Late (interlude)” do that. All these songs address to her partner that her love is different and something he hasn’t experienced before. In “Endlessly” she says, “Said, I’m the first girl that got you getting romantic,” blowing a kiss to all of the ex-girls that she’s different.  

After the interlude, the album shifts, but not too dramatically. “Blue” is about a deep sadness and emotional pain about a partner being distant from you that you love deeply. This is the first time on the album where Kali gets vulnerable in where it’s not about love, but being in pain and in love. “When you treat me like a stranger / How do you get cold so fast?” she says. “Deserve Me (feat. Summer Walker)” is a follow up to “Blue.” It’s recognizing your self-worth and letting go of the toxic relationship you were in. A healing song which she excels in, it tells the audience you don’t need someone to feel validated, only yourself. The hit song “Moonlight” is a fun up-beat switch from the previous two tracks before it. Being able to express love with someone is the thesis to this song “I just wanna get high with my lover” as she sings in the chorus. Escaping the outside world stress and only focusing on peace with her lover. The final track of the album “Happy Now.” It is about wanting to move on and letting go of drama and starting fresh. “Can we be happy now?” she sings, wanting a fresh start and forgiveness.  

Overall, this album is gold. For me personally, I remember listening to it when it first came out back in 2023 and immediately fell in love with it. There’s a lot of albums I like, but have one or two skips, Red Moon in Venus to me is a skip-less album. It has the dreamy aesthetic Kali does well, has the Spanish songs she isn’t shy to sing about, and the spiritual message in her songs and discovery. Kali Uchis’s Red Moon in Venus is the underrated album and once people give it a listen, they too will see the beauty in this album.