It Gets Better!... In South Africa

This is such an amazing initiative.

Peace icon Desmond Tutu, Skoonheid actor Charlie Keegan and UCT Rugby captain Nick Fenton lend their voices to the fantastic campaign.

Already a major project in the USA, "It Gets Better" aims to build awareness about the struggles faced by LGBT youth and to prevent suicides among this group by conveying a message that things do in fact 'Get Better'. With a vast number of infamous endorsements from among others, Hilary Clinton, Nicki Minaj, Barrack Obama and Katy Perry, the campaign has certainly gained momentum and reached a wide audience.

It is so wonderful to see South Africa embrace the campaign, especially being such a diverse country. Although the South African constitution is a remarkable backbone for the LGBT community in this country, it is unfortunate that we are still far from reaching the pinnacle of where we should be. It will always be a social struggle and the LGBT youth need to know that there is acceptance... that there is a place for them in this society. We need to hear from our icons, our leaders and celebrities. We need to hear that "It Gets Better".

Why I Love You

With its genius lyrics and dark and catchy tune this song is definitely a stand out track from Watch The Throne. This song speaks to those who feel frustrated due to not being appreciated by the ones they love and it begs the question: Why I Love You So?

Beyonce: Sex on Fire

Not often does it happen that an urban / pop artist like Beyonce takes on a rock heavy tune like Sex On Fire. Made infamous by the awesome rock band Kings of Leon, there is competition as to who does it better… that's not the point. The different take on this track is what makes it so wonderful.

Singing Sex On Fire shows Beyonce's diversity - it brings out so much depth in her voice. I wish she would experiment with this genre more.

T.O.N.Y

A seriously underrated song!

Re-discovered it today and it feels timeless. Despite the obvious star relation, Solange does have something lurking there. Rather rough around the edges in the public sphere and definitely not as polished as her sister... still there is loads of potential. Not to forget that Solange is a superb song writer... she just needs to establish her sound and image.

Sampling Evolution

The original: The 1962 Etta James track peaked at # 37 on the US charts.




Avicii: Levels, the unreleased 2011 track by Avicii samples the original instrumental, giving it an electro-house edge. Love this!



Flo Rida: Good Feeling, the 2011 track samples the original, although the instrumental by Avicii is far superior this version has more holistic appeal. With the inclusion of the vocals, guitar elements and even some dubstep this urban-pop track is a winner.

Either way Etta James is smiling all the way to the bank... call it what you want, but that is a good feeling!

A trip to Madame Zingara's

 

 

New music: Rihanna

 

Fire!! With subtle undercurrents of reggae flavour, We Found Love, a dance-heavy track captures some of what I have been hoping to hear from Rihanna. Although the lyrics could be stronger and the production courtesy of Calvin Harris does feel somewhat overpowering, it is an interesting direction.

This has undoubtedly peaked my interest for the new album... if the above is anything to go by it sounds as they Rihanna is pushing the boundaries further... what I hope to see is her retaining the flavour of songs like Man Down as these seem to bring out the best in her. Maybe she has an ace up her sleeve. In the meantime... "Yellow diamonds in the light..."

What I Learned on Twitter in 2011

I have spent a fair amount of my idle time on Twitter this year. It has truly become a great way to stay informed. The other day I realised just how much I have discovered on Twitter this year - from news to technology.

1. Lady Gaga's release Born This Way (single)

2. Japanese Tsunami

3. Charlie Sheen to be Roasted on Comedy Central

4. The operation that Killed Osama Bin Laden

5. Michele Bachmann for President?

6. Novak Djokovic wins Wimbledon 2011

7. Death of Amy Winehouse

8. Beyonce announces her pregnancy

9. Grooveshark

10. Julius Malema Found Guilty of Hate Speech

Acoustic Perfection

There is seldom an artist that can bring such energy to an acoustic performance. Performing Shark in The Water at Glastonbury, VV Brown who is still flying somewhat under the radar is pure perfection. Pure talent with no frills except an interesting hairdo.

Musings on Born This Way

Unlike The Fame Monster, which reflected on love and relationships with clever guises, Born This Way tackles social issues, religion, love and sexuality head on. The carefree mantra of Just Dance (circa The Fame) has been replaced with the anthem of ‘Born This Way’. There has been a clear vista of progress between The Fame, The Fame Monster and Born This Way. With each offering a different level of artistic freedom is expressed and has been taken up to higher level on Born This Way.

Despite her acknowledgement of influences such as Whitney Houston and Bruce Springsteen, the album is distinctly Gaga. The title track, although compared to Madonna’s ‘Express Yourself…’ tells of a personal journey intertwined with the powerful cheering of unconditional acceptance. Some might argue that it was a risky marketing ploy to capitalise on her gay following; there could be some truth in this but does she need to?

Unlike many pop artists who tell fairytale-like stories through their music, Gaga shares the truth: she taps into the psyche of real-life troubles and fantasies and brings it to life through creative genius. This is where Born This Way excels. From the perils of being betrayed in love, which is often confused for blasphemy in ‘Judas’ – to the raw expression of longing in ‘You and I’ there is more to the album than meets the ear.

Don’t be fooled by catchy tracks like ‘Marry The Night’ and ‘Sheisse’, although they are very conducive to busting a move they go deeper than the surface. Both proclaim the strength of women and seek to find the simplicity of having a good time and leaving your troubles behind. These tracks capture the holy grail of pop music – being able to create a killer tune without being vapid.  Although more up tempo and vibey these tracks see Gaga offering some of the most powerful lyrics on the album “I wish I could dance on a single prayer, I wish I could be strong without somebody there” Gaga muses on vulnerability on ‘Sheisse’. 

More vulnerable moments are found along the way, particularly through her musings on individuality and freedom of expression in the piano heavy ‘Hair’ where she sings “I’ve had enough, this is my prayer, that I’ll die living just as free as my hair”. ‘Heavy Metal Lover’, a firm favourite for me, takes a somewhat edgier detour where the listener becomes privy to a racy fantasy: “I want your whiskey mouth, all over my blonde south”. Perhaps the most vulnerable moment presents itself through the dance track ‘Edge of Glory’ which speaks of the last moments of living on earth and was inspired by the death of her grandfather.

There is never a time on the album where you feel isolated by Gaga, she takes the listener with her. Anyone who has ever broken the rules or felt different can relate to the cocky attitude in ‘Bad Kids’ where Gaga assures “Don’t be insecure if your heart is pure, you’re still good to me if you’re a bad kid baby”. Even on the more self reflective ‘Highway Unicorn (Road To Love)’, Gaga sings “We can be strong, out on this lonely route on the road to love”. She knows its a lonely journey but not one she has travelled alone.

Dance Kills R&B...

David Guetta strikes again - this time with vocal powerhouse Jennifer Hudson!

Definitely not a bad offering, although somewhat of a generic and disjointed sound. Starting off sounding quite unique it soon becomes easy to draw comparisons to Rihanna's "Only Girl (In The World)" track. I would expect more from Guetta than to use generic, overused synths.

Although there is no disputing Jennifer's talent and diversity, and despite her beautiful high notes... it comes off too harsh when coupled with such a dance heavy number. One thing is made very clear through this collaboration... R&B is certainly on a steep decline. Jennifer, who is considered to be one of the genre's biggest talents has decided to check her high octaves at the door and explore the booming dance genre. This emphasises the fact that the face of contemporary music has changed significantly.

Kudos to both producer and artist for testing the waters though and trying something different. Its just a pity that they didn't push the boundaries further and try to find a way to incorporate the essence of both talents.

Ready, Set, "Lift Off"

"Lift Off" (Ft. Beyonce) will serve as the third single from the critically acclaimed collaborative studio album Watch The Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West.

Perhaps not as massive as anticipated considering the collaborators, the track does pack quite a punch when it comes to it's production. In keeping with the album's theme of opulence, power and success it doesn't skimp on the detail.

With somewhat of a retro feel, the organic medley of pure and manufactured sounds coupled with less than subtle lyricals is what gives this track its swagger.

After listening to this track, I find myself wondering if Beyonce didn't have to look further than downstairs of their Sydney mansion - where Jay-Z and Kanye recorded much of the album - to find her inspiration for her latest album 4.

Latest Obsession: Avicii

Ok, so I will admit that I was not familiar with Avicii before the whole Leona Lewis Collide plagiarism saga. I find myself back-tracking so often with music and it often leads to magical discoveries.

The Swedish producer has breathed new life into my love for dance music. As a commercial music lover, it is refreshing to come across a more low key artist. Although Collide by Leona Lewis, which samples Fade Into Darkness, has become a commercial offering there are other Avicii gems out there just waiting to be discovered...


Fade Into Darkness:




Levels:




Seek Bromance:




Escape Me:

Lady Gaga: Yoü and I Video

Fantastic video, still not sold on the song. Lady Gaga, you never cease to confuse me. I love you for it.

Be On The Watch (Go Forth)

Although short and subtle, this video has clearly made its impact. Using the profound words of the poem The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski, the Levi's (Go Forth) campaign advert speaks to youth with mature words that portray the concepts of freedom and positivity.

Having been banned in the UK for its controversial content - which can be seen as a call to revolution, by the wrong people - it has become quite the hot topic. Personally I love the concept, I find it refreshing for a fashion advert and find it strikingly pertinent to our generation who should learn to cherish and strive for freedom rather than take it for granted. "Your life is your life, know it while you have it"

The Laughing Heart

Your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

-- by Charles Bukowski

"Welcome to St. Tropez"

“Palm trees, ocean breeze, salty air, sun kissed hair. That endless summer, take me there.”

Farewell winter; hellooo Spring!

Sunday afternoon at Blouberg... pure bliss

Tunes for the week

Tunes to get through the week...

Who Run This Motha?

Has to be one of the best performances I have ever seen!

Tech: Grooveshark Changing MP3 Streaming

If like me, you need to preview a song in its entirety before committing to downloading it... I am very anal about what I keep in my iTunes :) Then Grooveshark will somewhat change your music sampling experience.

Although I remain loyal to LastFM with its nifty recommendations that have assisted me in discovering new artists such as VV Brown and Simon Curtis. Actually streaming the material is where the gap came in and was tre annoying....

This is where Grooveshark excels. Think online music library, similar to iTunes with the ability to stream top quality MP3's and add songs to individual playlists or just to your general music folder. Oh, and don't worry about it getting messy... items added to your general music folder are filtered by artist and album. OCD sigh of relief *phew*. Not only is it a brilliant way to sample and store full length songs in perfect quality,  the accessibility is fantastic - as long as you have access to the internet and some decent headphones you're sorted!

As far as online streaming goes, Grooveshark will not leave you hanging long with irritating buffering (ah, yes iTunes... get your act together). Just pause the song for a minute before you play and boom. Not sure what you want to listen to or searching for inspiration? Just click to the 'Popular' tab and you will be able to listen to what's hot.

Once you have found that hot new track, what's next? Oh yeah... brag to all your friends :) You can share songs to both Facebook and Twitter. For those of you who have a blog, the widget is just amazing with the option to post an individual songs, playlists or entire albums in custom palettes.

Although it is available for mobile devices such as Blackberry and iPhone at a small monthly fee, the service is not available to those in South Africa. No surprise there.

Grooveshark has been slated by some recording labels and artists for loss in revenues. Personally I think there is massive potential to use such a product to the benefit of labels and more importantly the artists. The industry is changing... keep up people.

Last Friday Night (TGIF) Remix - Tis' Gonna Inevitably Flop

Yes, Katy wants to break records on the charts and yes Missy wants to rekindle her fame... unfortunately I doubt either goal will be achieved with this uninspired remix of the original smasher "Last Friday Night (TGIF)".

The reflection of a good remix is that it must flow and strike when its not too late... major doozie in this case. It is great to hear Missy Elliot again but the two verses, slapped in at random intervals, oozing with auto tune and lack originality are lame. When you keep waiting for it to improve, you know its hopeless. Towards the end, and I cringe to admit this, but I am kind of bummed that she 86'd Kenny G's moment, yes it was cheesy but it grew on me.

How it could it have been better:

- Faster tempo
- Nicki Minaj
- Bring back Kenny G *cringe*

Is David Guetta Bullet Proof?

Repeat, repeat, repeat! David Guetta's "Titanium" (Ft Sia) was originally recorded with Mary J Blidge. Having heard the original version, Sia - who I also love - adds a level of maturity to the mixed tempo dance track. Clearly the super power producer is looking to make a bold statement or two with his upcoming album Nothing But The Beat due to be released on 26 August 2011.

It’s the Femme Fatale bitch!

Love her or hate her, Britney Spears is definitely something. It’s what that ‘something’ is that causes a lot of discussion, tabloid stories and back and forth battles between her fans and Lady Gaga’s Little Monsters on virtually any platform you give them. I am a Britney fan and have been since she was every prepubescent boy’s dream in her little school outfit back in the days of ...Baby One More Time. I was more interested in the red cat suit and wondering how I could ever fit into it, but that’s a different story entirely. Things have changed since the early days – the songs are racier (but in a tongue-and-cheek kind of way), the outfits smaller and tighter (with the occasional ‘hello kitty’ moment) and, to quote one of her new songs, Britney’s been down and up and down and up and down.)

Being the huge Britney fan that I am I nearly had a stroke when I found out that a new album was in the works. With the release of ‘Hold It Against Me’, ‘Till The World Ends’ and shortly afterwards all of Femme Fatale in its glory I was absolutely blown away. It was nothing like Circus (where you’ll find my battle cry of ‘la la la lalala la la’) and sounded more like Blackout could have been had Britney realised she was recording an album at the time. Then, in an uncharacteristic move for Britney-of-late, she decided to do some promotional concerts before embarking on tour. But she was stiff. You could see she was trying, and ‘Till The World Ends’ wasn’t a hassle, but otherwise it just wasn’t great. Not bad, just not great.

And then there’s the tour. Now any Britney tour brings with it so many questions, the first one being ‘will she actually sing?’ She didn’t during The Circus Starring Britney Spears but, then again, I don’t really expect her to. Girl’s been lip-synching her way across the world for over a decade and it’s never let her down yet. Problem was, if the dancing didn’t pick up and she wasn’t singing, what the hell was the show going to be? But just when you think this southern girl with an unparalleled love of cheese grits might just be heading towards the end, she comes out in full force for the Femme Fatale Tour.

The first thing that was nice about the Femme Fatale Tour that the Circus Tour didn’t have was a lot of material from the album it was meant to be promoting. Starting off with ‘Hold It Against Me’ and going through some of her best material before ending with an amazing performance of ‘Till The World Ends’ with Nicki Minaj it was a new Britney on stage. Can she dance like she did when she was 17? Definitely not, but 13 years, two kids and a broken knee will do that to a girl. What was different here, and something that was missing since the somewhat underwhelming performance of ‘Gimme More’ at the VMAs, was that she was feeling it. She’s having fun and she’s engaging with her audience (and if it means throwing her legs around a guy’s head then a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do). To clinch the deal she also came out of nowhere and started SINGING, despite the fact that her voice is a few octaves deeper before the mastering process begins. But she sounds good.

At the end of the day I love Britney and what she does but more than anything else it’s nice to see someone who truly hit rock bottom bounce back with so much energy, so many hair extensions and so much sparkling goodness!



Blog article courtesy of James Sharp who runs the B-Horror Blog.

'Her Name Was New York'

"If I died tomorrow, I would be a happy girl."

Amy Winehouse, the star who made soul music, pumps and big hair cool again.

So Long Amy Winehouse

My all time favourite Amy Winehouse song and video. RIP Amy, your music will live on.

'I'm Still An Animal'

A life changing song and video. Full album review coming shortly.

GUETTA CONTINUES ELECTRO POP DOMINATION

Has there been a month that has gone by in the past year and a half where we have not heard a David Guetta song on the radio?? Well, prepare for another electro / dance pop filled year, gleaming with surprises.

Nothing But The Beat set to be released on 26 August 2011, will feature two discs, one instrumental – *sigh of relief for all the die-hard dance fans*. And a more commercial ‘vocal’ disc featuring contributions from heavy weight artists including Nicki Minaj, will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Chris Brown. The inclusion of usual collaborators such as Akon and will.i.am are of no surprise. The suspense comes in the form of unexpected guests Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J and Timbaland.

Having heard a leaked track Titanium originally recorded with Mary J Blidge, it is clear that this album will make waves and almost certainly break boundaries in the pop / dance sphere. Despite the track exuding chemistry between vocalist and producer it has been reported that Mary J Blidge’s vocals have been replaced with that of Australian pop star Sia.

There are more surprises though. Nicki Minaj, who although no stranger to working with Guetta, has reportedly recorded a more vocally indulgent record. Having heard Nicki sing (in the recording process) and being surprised by her ability I am rather thrilled by this inclusion.

Could this be the start of a new electro pop era?

Track listing for the album:

Disc one:

1. "Where Them Girls At" (featuring Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj)

2. "Little Bad Girl" (featuring Taio Cruz and Ludacris)

3. "Turn Me On" (featuring Nicki Minaj)

4. "Sweat" (Snoop Dogg vs. David Guetta)

5. "Without U" (featuring Usher)

6. "Nothing Really Matters" (featuring will.i.am)

7. "I Can Only Imagine" (featuring Chris Brown and Lil' Wayne)

8. "Crank It Up" (featuring Akon)

9. "I Just Wanna Fuck" (featuring Timbaland and Dev)

10. "Night of Your Life" (featuring Jennifer Hudson)

11. "Repeat" (featuring Jessie J)

12. "Titanium" (featuring Sia)

Disc two:

1. "The Alphabet"

2. "Lunar" (David Guetta and Afrojack)

3. "Sunshine" (David Guetta and Avicii)

4. "Little Bad Girl" (Instrumental Version)

5. "Metro Music"

6. "Toy Story"

7. "The Future"

8. "Dreams"

9. "Paris"

10. "Glasgow"

Lady Gaga on Howard Stern

A very interesting listen. Very honest! Gaga pre-records her hits on her BlackBerry... proof that you can run the world from your BB.

Listen below...

I must have!!

For The Love of Drag

"Ladies, start your engines and may the best woman win!"

It started off as curiosity when Ru Paul’s Drag Race was recommended to me by my ex Twitter hag. A show about competing drag queens... not quite sure what I expected but I soon became highly addicted. Yes its delightfully camp, bitchy and down right hilarious… but there is also something admirable about a man in a dress who can pull it off.


I started watching season two, having since
watched season one it is clear that season two is far superior. I immediately loved the characters, whether it was Jujubee (my favourite of all), the stylish token Asian who resembles Kimora Lee Simmons coupled with the sass of Tyra Banks or Tatiana, the nasally stick insect who channels a teenage girl and who’s Britney Spears impersonation is the best I have ever seen.

It must take a lot of balls to get tucked – still not quite sure how that all works, and get into a dress to become someone else and pull it off with such confidence. However competing seems to come naturally to them as the ‘girls’ battle it out for top honours to become America’s next drag super star, wondering how many there are of those exactly, hmmm… Some took to it like fish to water with their ability to stun the judges on the runway, including Ru Paul himself, with their uniqueness, nerve and talent. Those who didn't, well they had to lip synch for their lives as Ru Paul encouraged them "Good luck and don't fuck it up"

Standout queens for me were:

Jujubee

Jujubee, definitely one of the funniest and prettiest queens! She shines with her style and sharp wit. One of her best moments in the show was when she read all of the other girls for filth (see video below).

Pandora Boxx

The name really is fantastic, isn’t it! She embodies the ultimate camp drag queen with her humour being less sassy but more dry and quirky. Think Goldie Hawn meets Kathy Griffin.

From having to compete in numerous challenges, from promoting cooking grease, pole dancing, celebrity impersonation to putting old dudes in drag… This show has it all! It’s a darn side better than Jersey Shore, and face it… we all need a guilty pleasure, even if does involve watching a show about men who dress as woman and tuck their junk.



Ru Paul’s Drag Race has run for three seasons and currently has an 8.1 rating on IMDB.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Nicki Minaj

Gone are the days of gritty female rappers like Lil’ Kim and Missy Elliot, who owned the early 2000’s with their ghetto street cred.

Enter 2011 and there is a new rapping sensation who has catapulted onto the scene. Bursting with talent, quirkiness and lots of pink everywhere, Nicki Minaj has become synonymous with the female rap genre. Dethroning all of her predecessors with both glamour, grace and wit – a definite new breed of rapper.

With the current state of the music scene it is very difficult to stay relevant, with artists having to tread a thin line between remaining in the spotlight but not overexposing themselves. So has it become a matter of clever marketing? Absolutely!. Nicki and her entourage have combined genius marketing with formidable talent to create a monster, enrobed in pink.

Its all formula really – blend all of the current winning strategies in the industry to create an overall package. Collaborations, one of those strategies… was the foot in the door for Nicki. With most pop songs requiring an urban edge and often relying on some appeal from the likes of Kanye or Pitbull, it was becoming a matter of eenie meenie. Naturally some serious strings were pulled to get her noticed, which resulted in her collaborating with serious heavyweights including Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Rihanna.

Through her invaluable contributions and confidence on all her collaborative ventures it soon became clear that this pink chameleon was destined for even bigger things. So was it surprising that a solo album would follow? Was it surprising that it is so good? Definitely no on both counts. Pink Friday, with Songs like Your Love, Right Through Me and the smash hit Super Bass, has cemented her into her own superstar persona. Its no surprise that Billboard Magazine dubbed her the “First Lady (Gaga) of Hip Hop).

Ok, so she may not have a meat dress but the put on British accent, pink and blonde wigs and sharp wit are dynamite and not to mention animal friendly! Its all in the marketing… and talent of course!

The Inbetweeners Movie!

Yay! It's coming soon and it looks good.

Inked

Since I was 17 I have always wanted a tattoo, in fact I came very close to getting one at the time. Despite taking two pain killers and being so amped, the place happened to be closed and I chickened out after that. Thank the pope for that! Otherwise I’d be looking like an absoulute douche with a generic tribal tramp stamp.

Fast forward five years, gain a few kilos along with some wisdom and a ditch the pain killers. I finally decided that now was the right time. I strongly believe that if you want something today that seems impulsive you should wait a couple of months, if you still want it, go for it. That is exactly what I did.

I was shit scared, I won’t lie – asking the hardcore tattoo lady if it hurts was a stupid thing to do. She gave me a look that probably could do more damage than any tattoo needle. So, feeling like a real pussy I decided that I would own the experience and overcome my fear of needles. Fanta Orange in hand, I made my way to Wildfire in Canal Walk (yes, they rip you off, but I prefer to not look like a leper afterwards). Much like a doctors appointment, the worst part is waiting on the expert. Ok, so shirt off and stencil on I was waiting for the first sting, Adele playing through my iPod for some chilled vibes. Eyes open to not look like a total woes in front of the tattoo dudes! “Ready?” he said, “Yeah, def” I said with less hesitation than anticipated.

To answer the question, yes it does hurt. Does it hurt like drawing blood? No, does it hurt more than a cat scratch? Yes, unfortunately as I am so used to my cat scratching me. Over in twenty minutes with minimal bleeding but a slight light headed feeling. I rushed out and made a call… then realised, shit! I didn’t pay! Haha, I had to run back and apologise to the scary tattoo lady. She be scary. Also forgot my Fanta Orange, which I really needed. A great experience, with no pain killers or tribal.

REVIEW: BEYONCE: 4

Almost a year later than previously hinted at, Beyonce has released her 4th studio album. Despite the mediocre publicity and spectacle in the run up to the album’s release, fans have loyally been as eager as ever. Have they been let down?

Beyonce tends to spring surprises on her fans with new material with Run The World (Girls) being no different. As was the case with Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) – What is the point of the parenthesis?? Run The World (Girls) introduced fans to a new sound overnight, with no warning. Generally fans and critics alike were not thrilled by the latest offering…

Some complained about the weak lyrics, some threw shade because of the thankless Major Lazer sampling of Pon de Floor. I would have to say that it is the riskiest track on the album, not original in its concept but risky in applying it to the current pop music scene. The outcome of the risk is probably not what Beyonce was hoping for, but that’s the risk you take.

What threw me particularly was that Run The World (Girls) in no way set the tone for the full album, being the only song of its tempo was quite surprising. Song after song that surfaced and it became clear that Beyonce had indeed killed Sasha Fierce (why, oh why?!). I get that artists need to evolve for the sake of longevity and growth, but alienating your fan base is always a risk.

Hyped for its unique sound, which was dubbed to be something completely different from anything else, I was expecting something ground breaking. Ironically the most progressive sound on the album shines through in the lead single with its female empowerment chanting lyrics and its synth and drumbeats.

The rest album of the album features strong gritty vocals with that being the main focus. Despite this strength, the weakness in these meaningful songs are located in the underwhelming musical presence with generic background sounds reminiscent of Boys To Men and Phil Collins. At times the Adele influence beautifully creeps through with stand out tracks like I Was Here, Best Thing I Never Had and Start Over with the latter being the most emotional and raw, yet they seem to just not hit deep enough.

What lets the album down is the attempt to combine the mature sound with bold mid-tempo tracks like Love on Top and Party, and all this with a total of only ten tracks. Featuring cheezy lyrics and a sound that resembles an 80’s version of Motown music, these mid-tempo tracks are what cause the album to digress from its intended direction and overshadow the strengths.