Remember Tyler Oakley, the YouTuber? Yeah, well he introduced me to Betty Who back in 8th grade. I’ve been listening to her music since it was exclusively on tumblr, before she released “The Movement – EP” on iTunes, before they covered “Somebody Loves You” on Glee. So I’ve been waiting for this album, frankly, since I was still dating my first real boyfriend, which – let me tell you – was a LONG time ago.

Betty’s first album, “Take Me When You Go,” was the soundtrack to my spring break in San Francisco, and consequently will always have a place in my hopeless-romantic heart. Her second album, “The Valley,” didn’t make much of an impact on me; it came out during my senior year, when my focus was on academics, not on artists. Yet, here we are, at album No. 3, and I am pleased. The self-titled “Betty” is 43-minutes-full of 80s-inspired pop (“Whisper”), slow and sexy R&B (“Taste”), and even a hint of Britney- and JT-style sounds (“The One”).

“Betty” maintains a synthetic, dreamy sound and nostalgic, relatable lyrics. Each song has a magical power of bringing out the reckless youth in everyone. Betty sings of times we’ve all had: drunk-calling an ex (“Just Thought You Should Know”), recovering from a break-up (“Old Me”), and realizing we’ve found “the one” (“Marry Me”). It’s almost hard to believe the singer originates from Australia, as she totally understands the feeling of American teen-hood.

What’s most remarkable about Betty Who is not so much her style but her singing. She has an impressively wide range and is able to alternate smoothly between a lighter and fuller sound. Her airy breathwork does well in her more positive, upbeat songs, while her brute vocal force better suits her emotional anthems. Her live performances give her recordings a run for the money; she’s not a stereotypical pop star, and she doesn’t need to rely heavily on autotune.

Anyone paying close attention would notice Betty Who’s third album is considerably more optimistic than the others. Betty sings less about the past and more about the present. Her newest songs speak to a spike in confidence, body positivity, and maturity, telling me she’s grown substantially in the last five years. Maybe her recent engagement to Zak Cassar has something to do with it.

At the end of every album review, I like to list the best songs, according to me. I’m a sucker for love, making “Stop Thinking About You” number four. With its witty lyrics and wistful sentiment, “Stop Thinking” ends the album on a bittersweet note. In “Do With It,” Betty dares her admirers to step up to the plate and swing. The song itself sounds vaguely like an arcade game, its playfulness knocking it up to number three. Next up, Betty’s flex on her ex sets “Ignore Me” as the runner-up. She stands up with sarcasm, saying, in sum, “you don’t get to know about my life since you walked out of it.” Finally, everyone likes a song they can relate to, admittedly making “Just Thought You Should Know” my personal favorite. Honesty is the best policy, and Betty’s alcohol-inspired action leaves her listeners with one main message: tell people you love them.

Note: The original version of this article appeared on “Half Past,” 9:30 Club’s official blog.