Before Love Came to Kill Us

{{Album ratings

| align = left

| MC = 82/100{{cite web |title=Before Love Came To Kill Us by Jessie Reyez |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/before-love-came-to-kill-us/jessie-reyez |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=April 5, 2020 |location=United States}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last1=Kellman |first1=Andy |title=Before Love Came to Kill Us - Jessie Reyez |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/before-love-came-to-kill-us-mw0003351909 |website=AllMusic |publisher=RhythmOne |accessdate=April 2, 2020 |language=en-us}}

| rev2 = Clash

| rev2score = 8/10{{cite web |last1=Ahmed |first1=Narzra |title=Jessie Reyez - Before Love Came To Kill Us |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/jessie-reyez-before-love-came-to-kill-us |website=Clash |date=26 March 2020 |accessdate=April 2, 2020 |language=en}}

| rev3 = Exclaim!

| rev3score = 9/10{{cite web |last1=Patrick |first1=Ryan B. |title=Jessie Reyez - Before Love Came to Kill Us |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/jessie_reyez-before_love_came_to_kill_us |website=Exclaim! |accessdate=April 2, 2020 |language=en-ca |date=March 27, 2020}}

| rev4 = NME

| rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last1=Daly |first1=Rhian |title=Jessie Reyez – Before Love Came To Kill Us review: a dheart-wrenching, ferocious and unfiltered debut |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/jessie-reyez-before-love-came-to-kill-us-album-review-2636012 |website=NME |publisher=Bandlab Technologies |accessdate=April 2, 2020 |date=March 23, 2020}}

| rev5 = The Guardian

| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last1=Empire |first1=Kitty |title=Jessie Reyez: Before Love Came to Kill Us review – an outrageously fine debut |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/21/jessie-reyez-before-love-came-to-kill-us-review |website=The Guardian |accessdate=April 2, 2020 |date=March 21, 2020}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6score = 6.8/10{{cite web |last1=Asaph |first1=Kathryn St. |title=Jessie Reyez: Before Love Came to Kill Us |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jessie-reyez-before-love-came-to-kill-us/ |website=Pitchfork |accessdate=April 2, 2020 |language=en |date=April 2, 2020}}

| rev7 = The Telegraph

| rev7score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web |last1=McCormick |first1=Neil |title=The best new albums to stream this week, from Pearl Jam to Childish Gambino |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/best-new-albums-stream-week-pearl-jam-childish-gambino/ |website=The Telegraph |accessdate=April 2, 2020 |date=March 27, 2020}}

| rev8 = Tom Hull – on the Web

| rev8Score = B+ ({{Rating-Christgau|hm2}}){{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Hull (critic)|date=April 27, 2020|url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/arch/rhap/rh2004-1.php|title=Streamnotes|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|accessdate=August 3, 2020}}

}}

Before Love Came to Kill Us was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 82, based on nine reviews.

For AllMusic, Andy Kellman wrote that "Although it's all over the place, Before Love Came to Kill Us radiates conviction from front to back, and is without doubt a true representation of its creator." Exclaim!{{'s}} Ryan B. Patrick affirms that the album "has been built to last" and is "one of the better albums in an already interesting 2020." Rhian Daly of NME called it "heart-stoppingly good" and a "beautiful, heart-wrenching debut that sees its creator come good on her early promise." Writing for Clash, Narzra Ahmed complimented Reyez's versatility and adjectived the album "an excellent debut". Kathryn St. Asaph of Pitchfork pointed out that the album's genre range works in a "satisfying" way "not because she whizzes across multiple genres, but because of the skill she displays at each". The singer's uniqueness was praised by The Guardian{{'s}} Kitty Empire, who labeled the tracks as "largely excellent".

The album was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize,{{Cite web|title=Here's the Polaris Music Prize 2020 Short List|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/heres_the_polaris_music_prize_2020_short_list|date=July 15, 2020|website=Exclaim!|author=Allie Gregory|language=en-ca}} and for the Juno Award for Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2021.Holly Gordon, [https://www.cbc.ca/music/junos/news/the-weeknd-jp-saxe-jessie-reyez-and-justin-bieber-lead-2021-juno-award-nominations-1.5940551 "The Weeknd, JP Saxe, Jessie Reyez and Justin Bieber lead 2021 Juno Award nominations"]. CBC Music, March 9, 2021. For the Polaris Music Prize, which followed a unique format of commissioning filmmakers to make short films inspired by the shortlisted albums due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada preventing the staging of a traditional gala, the album's film was directed by Alicia K. Harris.Richard Trapunski, [https://nowtoronto.com/news/polaris-music-prize-2020-backxwash-wins-a-victory-for-the-outsiders "Polaris Music Prize 2020: Backxwash’s victory is for the unapologetic"]. Now, October 20, 2020.

{{clear}}

Before Love Came to Kill Us debuted at number 13 on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 27,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.{{citeweb|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/rolling-stone-album-chart-weeknd-5-seconds-of-summer-dua-lipa-pearl-jam-1234575242/|title=The Weeknd Has Top Album for a Second Week, Followed by Chart Debuts for 5 Seconds of Summer, Dua Lipa, Pearl Jam|website=Variety|author=Chris Willman|date=April 8, 2020|accessdate=March 1, 2023}} This became Reyez' first US top-twenty debut. On November 21, 2023, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.

{{Track listing

| headline = Standard edition

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Do You Love Her

| writer1 = {{hlist|Fredrik Ball|Jessica Reyez|Rui Afonso|Tim Suby}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Ball|Lazuli{{ref|a|[a]}}|Suby{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length1 = 3:16

| title2 = Deaf (Who Are You)

| writer2 = {{hlist|Reyez|Suby}}

| extra2 = Suby

| length2 = 2:53

| title3 = Intruders

| writer3 = {{hlist|Akil King|Darius Ginn Jr.|Reyez|John Thomas Roach|Mario Jefferson}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|R!o|Kamo{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length3 = 3:05

| title4 = Coffin

| note4 = featuring Eminem

| writer4 = {{hlist|Andre Robertson|Reyez|Marshall Mathers|Tobias Frelin}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Bizness Boi|Frelin|Eminem{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length4 = 4:22

| title5 = Ankles

| writer5 = {{hlist|Alexander Delicata|Andre Davidson|Andrew Harr|Jermaine Jackson|Reyez|Sean Davidson}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Blvk Jvck|Delicata{{ref|a|[a]}}|The Monarch{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length5 = 2:49

| title6 = Imported

| note6 = with 6lack

| writer6 = {{hlist|Reyez|Henrik Bryld Wolsing|Jaramye Daniels|Ricardo Valentine}}

| extra6 = Hennedub

| length6 = 3:45

| title7 = La Memoria

| writer7 = {{hlist|Björn Djupström|Reyez|Johann Deterville|Savannah Ré|Tobias Frelin}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|YogiTheProducer|Djupström{{ref|b|[b]}}|Reyez{{ref|b|[b]}}|Ré{{ref|c|[c]}}|Frelin{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length7 = 3:18

| title8 = Same Side

| writer8 = {{hlist|Reyez|Suby}}

| extra8 = Suby

| length8 = 3:10

| title9 = Roof

| writer9 = {{hlist|Robertson|Reyez|Richard Isong}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Bizness Boi|P2J}}

| length9 = 1:46

| title10 = Dope

| writer10 = {{hlist|Djupström|Reyez}}

| extra10 = Djupström

| length10 = 2:38

| title11 = Before Love Came to Kill Us{{efn-ua|name="KillUs"|The song was initially titled “Kill Us”.}}

| writer11 = {{hlist|Alexander Crossan|Reyez|Suby}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Suby|Reyez|Jessy Aaron{{ref|a|[a]}}|Mura Masa{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length11 = 4:06

| title12 = Love in the Dark

| writer12 = {{hlist|Reyez|Djupström|Suby|Frelin}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Suby|Djupström{{ref|b|[b]}}|Frelin{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length12 = 3:59

| title13 = I Do

| writer13 = {{hlist|King|Andre Harris|Ginn Jr.|Jaramye Daniels|Reyez|Jefferson}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|R!o|Harris{{ref|a|[a]}}|Kamo{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length13 = 3:52

| title14 = Figures

| writer14 = {{hlist|Reyez|Djupström|Shy Carter|Frelin}}

| extra14 = {{hlist|Djupström|Frelin}}

| length14 = 3:58

| total_length = 46:57

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title15 = Far Away II

| note15 = featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie and JID

| writer15 = {{hlist|Artist Julius Dubose|Destin Choice Route|Reyez|Rogét Chahayed}}

| extra15 = {{hlist|Chahayed|Vegyn}}

| length15 = 3:35

| title16 = Ankles

| note16 = featuring Rico Nasty and Melii

| writer16 = {{hlist|Delicata|A. Davidson|Harr|Audrey Ducasse|Jackson|Reyez|Maria-Cecilia Simone Kelly|S. Anderson}}

| extra16 = {{hlist|Blvk Jvck|Delicata{{ref|a|[a]}}|The Monarch{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length16 = 4:42

| title17 = Worth Saving

| writer17 = {{hlist|Reyez|Suby}}

| extra17 = Suby

| length17 = 3:24

| total_length = 58:38

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Target edition bonus tracks

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title15 = Sugar at Night

| writer15 =

| extra15 =

| length15 = 2:57

| title16 = No One's in the Room

| writer16 =

| extra16 =

| length16 = 4:08

| title17 = Far Away

| writer17 = {{hlist|Reyez|Chahyaed|Vegyn}}

| extra17 = {{hlist|Chahayed|Vegyn}}

| length17 = 2:41

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Before Love Came to Kill Us+

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = No One's in the Room

| writer1 =

| extra1 =

| length1 = 4:08

| title2 = Sugar at Night

| writer2 =

| extra2 =

| length2 = 2:57

| title3 = Before Love Came to Kill Us{{efn-ua|name="KillUs"}}

| writer3 = {{hlist|Alexander Crossan|Reyez|Suby}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Suby|Reyez|Jessy Aaron{{ref|a|[a]}}|Mura Masa{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length3 = 4:06

| title4 = Roof

| writer4 = {{hlist|Robertson|Reyez|Richard Isong}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Bizness Boi|P2J}}

| length4 = 1:46

| title5 = Coffin

| note5 = featuring Eminem

| writer5 = {{hlist|Andre Robertson|Reyez|Marshall Mathers|Tobias Frelin}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Bizness Boi|Frelin|Eminem{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length5 = 4:22

| title6 = Worth Saving

| writer6 = {{hlist|Reyez|Suby}}

| extra6 = Suby

| length6 = 3:24

| title7 = I Do

| writer7 = {{hlist|King|Andre Harris|Ginn Jr.|Jaramye Daniels|Reyez|Jefferson}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|R!o|Harris{{ref|a|[a]}}|Kamo{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length7 = 3:52

| title8 = Intruders

| writer8 = {{hlist|Akil King|Darius Ginn Jr.|Reyez|John Thomas Roach|Mario Jefferson}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|R!o|Kamo{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length8 = 3:05

| title9 = Ankles

| writer9 = {{hlist|Alexander Delicata|Andre Davidson|Andrew Harr|Jermaine Jackson|Reyez|Sean Davidson}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Blvk Jvck|Delicata{{ref|a|[a]}}|The Monarch{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length9 = 2:49

| title10 = La Memoria

| writer10 = {{hlist|Björn Djupström|Reyez|Johann Deterville|Savannah Ré|Tobias Frelin}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|YogiTheProducer|Djupström{{ref|b|[b]}}|Reyez{{ref|b|[b]}}|Ré{{ref|c|[c]}}|Frelin{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length10 = 3:18

| title11 = Same Side

| writer11 = {{hlist|Reyez|Suby}}

| extra11 = Suby

| length11 = 3:10

| title12 = Figures

| writer12 = {{hlist|Reyez|Djupström|Shy Carter|Frelin}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Djupström|Frelin}}

| length12 = 3:58

| title13 = Dope

| writer13 = {{hlist|Djupström|Reyez}}

| extra13 = Djupström

| length13 = 2:38

| title14 = Imported

| note14 = with 6lack

| writer14 = {{hlist|Reyez|Henrik Bryld Wolsing|Jaramye Daniels|Ricardo Valentine}}

| extra14 = Hennedub

| length14 = 3:45

| title15 = Far Away II

| note15 = featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie and JID

| writer15 = {{hlist|Artist Julius Dubose|Destin Choice Route|Reyez|Rogét Chahayed}}

| extra15 = {{hlist|Chahayed|Vegyn}}

| length15 = 3:35

| title16 = Do You Love Her

| writer16 = {{hlist|Fredrik Ball|Jessie Reyez|Rui Afonso|Tim Suby}}

| extra16 = {{hlist|Ball|Lazuli{{ref|a|[a]}}|Suby{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length16 = 3:16

| title17 = Love in the Dark

| writer17 = {{hlist|Reyez|Djupström|Suby|Frelin}}

| extra17 = {{hlist|Suby|Djupström{{ref|b|[b]}}|Frelin{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length17 = 3:59

}}

;Notes

• {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} indicates an additional producer
• {{sup|{{note|b|[b]}}}} indicates a co-producer
• {{sup|{{note|c|[c]}}}} indicates a vocal producer
• The track's titles are stylized in all caps.

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Before Love Came to Kill Us}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Jessie Reyez|title=Before Love Came to Kill Us|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2020|certyear=2023|access-date=April 1, 2025|refname="MC"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Jessie Reyez|title=Before Love Came to Kill Us|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2020|certyear=2023|access-date=November 23, 2023|refname="RIAA"}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

• List of 2020 albums

{{notelist-ua}}

{{reflist}}

{{Jessie Reyez}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2020 debut albums

Category:Jessie Reyez albums

Category:Albums produced by Eminem

Category:Island Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Fred Ball (producer)

Category:Albums produced by Rogét Chahayed

Category:Albums produced by P2J