At 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9, I stopped everything I was doing to stream Eleven. Khalid previously teased the release on Twitter, fueling the excitement and anticipation of his fans. Was the song worth all of this suspense? 

   I’m conflicted. On one side, I believe that this song is one of his best, perfectly showcasing his vocal range and style while still portraying the vibe that he intended for it to. Yet, on the other side, it’s nothing special.

   I’m the last one to talk down on Khalid, because as an artist that is followed by many and is frequently under the microscope of the public, it can be difficult for one to sing about true emotion. In his songwriting, Khalid tells it how it is. He doesn’t try to sugarcoat the good or the bad. 

   However, I think we all have gotten a sense of Khalid’s music. Some call it his style, but as someone who’s been a fan of him for many years, I’m starting to think of it as his comfort zone. 

   As a singer, trying something new can be terrifying. The last thing you want is to disappoint your fans that have been by your side for so long. But, a big part of being such a huge artist is to explore and experiment with your music, and the second people start realizing that your work is starting to sound similar, that should be a wake-up call to start trying new things.

   Don’t get me wrong–his new song is great. He did a phenomenal job showing his audience what his voice is capable of. I just think maybe Khalid should take a step out of his comfort zone, because we can all agree, he’ll do a great job no matter what.