On to Better Things

### **Producer(s)**

Aaron Shadrow, Andrew Luce, Brian Lee, Cashmere Cat, Census, Cirkut, Cxdy, Edgard Herrera, Evan Gartner, James Chul Rim, Jasper Harris, KBeaZy, Kevin Gruft, Kinderr, Nash, Nick Long, Nick Mira, Ojivolta, Omer Fedi, Pharaoh Vice, Taz Taylor, Travis Barker

## **Singles from *On to Better Things***

1. "V12"
Released: September 14, 2021
2. "Let You"
Released: November 12, 2021
3. "Thought It Was"
Released: January 18, 2022

> I've only made music that is real to me OTBT is deeply one of my one of my favorite albums. every song is personal to what my life as been the past year. Ups and Downs. Good and Bad times.
> Sincerely, yours truly.
>
>

***On to Better Things*** (abbreviated as ***OTBT***) is the sophomore studio album released by Iann Dior on January 21, 2022. Artists featured on the record are Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Barker, and Machine Gun Kelly.

## Background

Dior discussed that the musical project was "very personal" to him. He said of trying out different genres, and told *Fashion* magazine, "I wanted to be honest, truthful and open with my fans on *On To Better Things*. The whole concept is about coming from a hard place and working towards a better and brighter future." He named "Obvious" as his favorite track from the LP, representing his journey. He added, "This whole album is really me being vulnerable about my personal experience and raw emotions. I wanted to share in this way because I know there are so many other people out there struggling and working on themselves."

## Synopsis

The perma-heartbroken singer was just ahead of the curve of 2021’s Great Pop-Punk Revival; with support from mentors like Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker, Dior’s early releases drew from angsty, hooky bands like Paramore as much as they did from the Juice WRLD mode of singsong rap. His second full-length, on to better things, wears its influences on its tracklist. The sparkly lilt of “V12” feels like an homage to Lil Uzi Vert, who contributes a verse; MGK shows up to close out “thought it was,” a riffy ode to the bummer that is fame; Barker’s rapid-fire drums feature on three tracks. “I’m a punk with a twisted brain/I’ll die a rock star like Marilyn Monroe,” he warbles on “dark angel interlude.” Pop punk is dead. Long live pop punk! — via *Apple Music*

### Singles

"V12" was released as the lead single on September 14, 2021, featuring Lil Uzi Vert, their first collaboration together. It first premiered over *The Zane Lowe Show* on Apple Music 1.

"Let You" was released as the record's second official single on November 12, 2021. A snippet was teased to his Instagram livestream on September 4.

"Thought It Was" was released as the third single to the album on January 18, 2022, three days before the album's release. It featured Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker, both of whom Dior has previously collaborated with.

## Composition

The record was described by reviewers of including elements of pop, punk rock, emo-pop, and emo-trap"pop".

## Critical reception

*On to Better Things* generated mixed reviews. At Metacritic, the album received a score of 68 out of 100, based on reviews from 5 critics.

*The Line of Best Fit* writer Ims Taylor named it as "moving towards something greater than before," though continued, "the features feel even more symbiotic than if they were appearing simply to throw a contrast in the mix." *NME* praised it as "a perfect ode to the evolution of pop-punk," while Dani Blum writing for *Pitchfork* was more critical, and stated, "Dior stays vague and vacant throughout the album, invested in his feelings but short on interesting ideas."

## Personnel

* Dale Becker – mastering (1, 2, 4–15)
* Mike Tucci – mastering (3)
* Hector Vega – mastering (6, 12)
* Serban Ghenea – mixing (1, 6, 10, 12, 13)
* Edgard Herrera – mixing (2, 3, 8), engineering (9)
* Teezio – mixing (4, 9, 14)
* Adam Hawkins – mixing (7, 11, 15)
* Benjamin Thomas – engineering (3)
* Young Era – engineering (3, 10)
* Ojivolta – engineering (4)
* Mark Schick – engineering (13)
* Ryan Cantu – engineering (14)

## References

1. ↑ "Iann Dior". *Twitter*. October 17, 2021.
2. ↑ Jillain, Morgan (February 1, 2022). "Iann Dior Gets Vulnerable On His New Album".
3. ↑ Rashed, Ayana (September 15, 2021). "NEW MUSIC Iann Dior Returns With New Single "V12" Featuring Lil Uzi Vert". *Respect*.
4. ↑ Moorwood, Victoria (January 20, 2022). "Iann Dior Is Ready To Take Over Music And Beyond: "I Don't Want To Be Looked At As Just An Artist"". *The Recording Academy*. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
5. ↑ Minton, M (January 31, 2022). "REVIEW: Iann Dior gets vulnerable with newest album release". *The Ithacan*.
6. ↑ "Best of Iann Dior's On to Better Things". *East Side Vibes*. February 3, 2022.
7. ↑ "Critic Reviews for On to Better Things". *Metacritic*. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
8. ↑ "ann dior - On To Better Things". 21 January 2022.
9. ↑ Williams, Kyann-Sian (21 January 2022). "iann dior – 'On To Better Things' review: melodic rap star turns high-flying rock and roller".
10. ↑ Blum, Dani (January 27, 2022). "On to Better Things Album Review". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
11. ↑ Taylor, Ims (25 January 2022). "On To Better Things is Iann Dior moving towards something greater". *The Line of Best Fit*.
12. ↑ "On to Better Things by Iann Dior Reviews and Tracks". *Metacritic*. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
13. ↑ Taylor, Ims (25 January 2022). "On To Better Things is Iann Dior moving towards something greater". *The Line of Best Fit*.
14. ↑ Williams, Kyann-Sian (21 January 2022). "iann dior – 'On To Better Thing' review: melodic rap star turns high-flying rock and roller".
15. ↑ Blum, Dani (January 27, 2022). "On to Better Things Album Review". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
16. ↑ *On to Better Things* by iann dior on Apple Music