Finally Over It

Summer Walker spent nearly a decade after the release of her 2018 mixtape <i>Last Day of Summer</i> wearing her heart on her sleeve. The R&B powerhouse has invited listeners into her tumultuous world through honest lyricism, storytelling and diary-like ruminations that chronicle the messiness of romance, self-love and everything in between. Her 2019 debut album <i>Over It</i> and its 2021 follow-up <i>Still Over It</i> offer a layered narrative of self-discovery as she navigates her ever-evolving perspective on the sobering truths about relationships and emotional boundaries. However, with <i>Finally Over It</i>—the final chapter in the trilogy—she retires the self-proclaimed lover-girl persona and chooses herself, no matter what that looks like to others. Along for the ride is an all-star lineup of guests, including Latto, Mariah the Scientist, Doja Cat, SAILORR, Chris Brown, Anderson .Paak, GloRilla, Sexyy Red, Monaleo, 21 Savage, Brent Faiyaz, Teddy Swims and frequent collaborator Bryson Tiller. Across 18 tracks, <i>Finally Over It</i> is divided evenly into two parts, For Better and For Worse, which mirrors the album art’s wedding theme and alludes to the project’s unifying idea: the cynicism that can come from the pursuit of romantic relationships and the choices that are left when love feels impossible. The first half showcases Walker’s ability to save herself from entanglements that no longer serve her (“Robbed You”, “Situationship”). “No,” which interpolates Beyoncé’s 2003 song “Yes”, is about standing firm against one-sided demands: “You want me to cater to you, never tell you no/You want me to lose myself just to keep your home/But the answer’s no.” Yet on “1-800-Heartbreak”, she croons about her loneliness after the end of a relationship. Not every song on the first half deals with fed-up declarations and self-assured boasts. Walker still leans into her lover-girl ways (“Baby”, “Give Me a Reason”) and gives second chances (“Heart of a Woman”), but even the most broken relationships are opportunities to learn something new. The second half, For Worse, finds Walker giving up on finding unconditional love, trading the idea of a traditional relationship for one that prioritises material comforts. She ditches the idea of being with her usual type on “FMT” and lets it be known she’s only into men who can provide for her needs financially on the swaggering “Baller”, while keeping her walls up even though she might be falling in love (“Stitch Me Up”, “Allegedly”). Throughout all the ups and downs within the different vignettes Walker explores, there’s solace in knowing that through all the choices depicted—good, bad and possibly terrible—she emphasises choosing oneself, for better or for worse.