Mariah The Scientist Album Review: A Love Letter To Young Thug

Mariah The Scientist is one of the artists where once you hit play, you can’t stop listening.

The singer-songwriter exploded onto the scene with her Lil Baby-assisted “Always n Forever,” who’s official music video boasts over 18 million views and counting. But it’s actually not her most streamed song on Spotify. “Spread Thin” reigns high, with “2 You” and “Only Human” coming in hot as fan favorites.

Now, Mariah The Scientist unveils her highly-anticipated new album titled To Be Eaten Alive, which she deems her best music yet. Clocking in at ten tracks, the new project features standout features from Young Thug, 21 Savage, and Vory. It also serves as her first project since 2021’s Ry Ry World. 

While Mariah has been making music for some years now, she also admits that this wasn’t a dream she had since she was a kid. It’s actually something “she fell into,” proceeding to state that she doesn’t even consider herself a singer. 

Fans of Mariah might be surprised to see she’s finally opening up and doing interviews (thanks to the project), showcasing her personality a little more than what we’ve seen. On the opening track, “Heaven is a Place on Earth,” Mariah revealed she actually produced the song herself — as a result of being bored during quarantine. 

Moving into the second song, “Good Times,” we start to hear Mariah’s romantic side. Contrary to previous releases, she’s starting to bask in her current relationship with Young Thug, who has been locked up since May of 2022. Mariah goes on record saying she talks to Thug every day, all day. And that jail calls were expensive!

This leads us to the next song: “From A Woman.” This was Mariah’s rendition of Young Thug’s “From A Man,” which released just two weeks prior.

“40 Days n 40 Nights” was refreshing to hear, pairing Mariah’s smooth and buttery vocals with Vory’s. Vory first gained recognition after appearing on songs with Meek Mill. Then we get into the uptempo “Out of Luck” produced by Kaytranada, showcasing her ability to create and mesh with different producers and creatives.

Mariah also went on record about how she sees herself as an A&B artist, Alternative & Blues versus R&B. You can hear these influences in the new project, which may or may not be inspired by the bond her and Thug has shared since he was locked up. “Bout Mine” sees her crooning: “Baby, I got nothin’ but time. We finna make this right ‘Cause you know I don’t, I bet you know I don’t play about mine.”

“77 Degrees” boasts a feature from one of her favorite artists, fellow Atlanta artist 21 Savage. This song tells the story of a female in love with a gangster and the reality of what comes with love. Leading into “Different Pages,” my personal favorite. Being in a relationship takes work from both parties, and sometimes you have to agree to disagree.

The last two tracks reveal the love letter to her bae, Jeffrey Williams. “Lovesick” sees Mariah singing at the top of her lungs, presumably fueled by this new energy between the lovebirds. But with Young Thug actually appearing on the closing track, “Ride,” Mariah reminds audiences all around the world that there is that special someone out there for you. 

Regardless of all the trials and tribulations, true love will always prevail. This was also a great follow-up track to “Walked In” featuring Thug on Ry Ry World, which was the start of their love story (at least to the public’s eyes).

All in all, To Be Eaten Alive is no skips. And we’re rooting for Mariah and Thug!