Melanie Martinez K-12

For the sequel to her 2015 musical and visual album Cry Baby, the singer-songwriter brings us up to speed with the title character, now in her teens, navigating a pastel-colored world of cruel kids and drugged-up school authorities. K-12 tells a contemporary tale of self-acceptance. The pop-driven narrative has matured along with Cry Baby, approaching topics like bulimia (“Orange Juice”), self-worth (“Strawberry Shortcake,” “Show & Tell”), and social pressures (“Lunchbox Friends”) with sensitivity and humanity.