How do you reintroduce yourself to a mainstream audience, who may only recognize your name only if you start singing, “Hey sister, it’s really, really nice to meet ya. I just met this five foot seven guy who’s just my type?” Well, when you let the music speak for you, it’s easy. Estelle blessed us back in 2008 with her smash-hit “American Boy (feat. Kanye West).” It rocked our radios and our tangled-up headphones before AirPods were a thing, as the iPhone took off. Since then, she’s released three albums in between: All of Me, True Romance, and Lovers Rock; including her debut album The 18th Day.
Estelle has captivated audiences with her vocals and her ability to flip styles from a sleek and funk-styled rap, reggae sounds, and a beautiful, eloquent R&B/Soul sound. Now, Stay Alta offers a fresh, perpetually bright and positive sound. The album encompasses a variety of flavored genres, from dance to soul, to pop sounds hinting at her “American Boy” tones. There’s a little something for everyone with Estelle’s masterpiece.
“Outside” reels the listener in immediately, with a jazz flair switching up to a call-and-response of positivity and encouragement. There is nothing more enticing than hearing music that lifts you up from trying times. “Oh I” is dance beat with a message that time is on your side. But, don’t sit around. It’s an honest song of presenting that the good and bad may happen with our decisions, yet you won’t know unless you try.
“Grateful (feat. Teeters Moses & Russell Taylor)” follows up encourages that no matter your situation, especially if you are currently in a comfortable place in life; to stay grateful. The singer knocks off a list of what she is grateful for in a slight-rap monologue. She proclaims to stay grateful through the whole daily process, good and bad of life. “Love On Love” follows sharing the limelight and vocals with D-Nice. It’s an insistent message, uplifting spirit that bounds through the speakers that there is a mission afoot. Estelle and D-Nice announce that we are to celebrate! And we are to celebrate, in party-fashion, one another, love; human to human.
Up next, is “Roses (Now’s the Time).” A simple yet, empowering song, to take your moment. In life, there are times (many) to be humble and thankful…or grateful; but other times call for us to soak up our success and proper accolades along with that achievement; each and every one of us. Meanwhile, “Like He Is” sings softly and elegantly of appreciation for the singer’s other half. Taking the good with the bad and understanding that time is short; Estelle is appreciate of the moments big and small. “Fire (feat. Joi) is crafted very uniquely with an intro and outro poem and the music falls like a soulful blanket in between. It’s a blend of funk and soul where the imagery is cinematic in her lyrics.
The last quarter of the record begins with the title-track “Stay Alta (feat. Channel Tres).” The track is the highlight of the record for a reason – pure fun. Essentially, Estelle is staying alert, staying positive, and reading the rooms to avoid anything that will bring her vibe down. It’s well worth the listen if you want to just let loose and feel good. On the flip side, “Let It Drop (feat. Durand Bernarr)” is a tag-team song between the duo for any dance floor. This dance jam, acknowledges the end of relationship, knowing in her being that she is trying to achieve better with her life however, Bernarr at first, believes she’s mistaken but, by the end he comes to realize it is best to move on as well.
We approach the next track with a flavorful feel that possesses a lot of the same bright and festive mix of cultural, European, Latin, and pop stylings “Stay Alta” personified. The mixture of these sounds, while Estelle maintains and carries her happy tonality throughout the song. It is a wonderful song that in listening to the lyrics, sounds like a daydream of lovers being the only two in existence, blocking out the outside world and its noise. “New Direction (feat. LaRussell & Keyon Harrold)” follows with lyrics of encouragement and decisive action. The trio lays out a “when-life-gives-you-lemons-make-lemonade, type of mantra. It is a proclamation to make the best out of the worst situations and turn it into a new direction.
Finally, there’s the end track “Starting Over.” The song is anthemic in sound and a joyous statement of an acknowledged false-start or misstep in a relationship. Both parties recognize what was to be done to heal and restore their bond and what their respective actions were to be done in order to get to that new beginning.
Estelle is back and all glammed out. She is radiating a stellar confidence and brings a dose of sunshine with her lyrics and vocals together. It is well worth the listen if you’re looking for a pick-me-up. The album offers a fresh outlook on life and how to get through each and every day. From the cover, to the tracks, to Estelle’s vocals resonating through each song; this album is simple yet elegant and effortlessly combines a combo of genres to create a masterpiece.
Key Tracks: “Stay Alta (feat. Channel Tres).” “Oh I.” “Love On Love (feat. Teedra Moses & Russell Taylor).”
One word turns into a story quickly. It is who is willing to listen to that story that sets new stories and adventures in motion. Put a little sound to that movie, Music has a way with words like no other medium does. It has become unavoidable in every moment of our lives. The art often molds our character, as well as, shape the way we live our lives. For me, several women influenced my love and passion for music. The messages sent through the songs and personalities of these women, and the incredible craft and range of these artists embody so much of how I see music as a whole entity. These 7 women all had a hand in shaping and forming my musical foundation, amongst many others.
Shania Twain
Shania Twain saddled up onto the music scene as a dueling ‘Queen of Country-Pop Crossover’ alongside Faith Hill. Her smash hit Come On Over, was the first album I had been introduced to and ultimately fell in love with. My mom and her best friend would blast the stereo with these songs endlessly growing up. The only song I seemed to always skip was “I Won’t Leave You Lonely,” only because that’s the song they would skip too. Everyone knows the empowering anthem, “Man, I Feel Like a Woman.” That song launched her into the stratosphere. Songs like “Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)” and “Come On Over” utilized a host of strings synced-up beats respectively, while “Love Gets Me Everytime,” “Honey, I’m Home,” and “Rock This Country” carried a kick-ass bass and drum rock undertone; all while presenting a pretty pop-country presence and eloquent vocal arrangements. Of course, the song that truly hits home is “You’re Still the One.” Embodying what everlasting love and devotion sincerely mean, the song not only is one of Twain’s most admired records, but, a song that my mom wishes that I would one day sing for my parents, should they ever renew their vows. Come On Over has shaped my musical experience more than any other record in history.
P!NK
She’s been a badass from day one. P!NK redefines rebellion as freedom and individualistic. And although she might ride the pop coattails, the Hurts 2B Human singer solidified a spot amongst the greats and conquered her fight to make a name for herself in the pop-diva realm. In 2008, Funhouse dropped like an atom bomb onto the music scene. It was P!NK’s first album that, as a whole, I was able to take in start to finish and knew about from the moment it was released. Other past hits like “Just Like a Pill,” “U + Ur Hand,” and “Get the Party Started” set the stage for her to not only grow into an adult badass. But, her artistry opened up a door that allows pop music talent today, to go all out on their fashion, trends, and simply allowing those new artists to truly be themselves more openly. The album is one of, if not her best record to date, because everything about its release flowed so seamlessly together. Its release date was just a little before Halloween 2008. The title of the album, along with several of the tracks prove to be a thematic masterpiece of carnival thrill.
“So What” and “Sober” begin the album with contrasting excitable and melancholy tones to the respective tracks. While both talk of a freeing sensation yet, with different tones: one excitable, one melodramatic. The album is a joyride in itself. While there’s definitely more somber songs on the record, tracks like “Bad Influence,” the title-track “Funhouse” and even “Please Don’t Leave Me” (while the message is still sullen; all offer an electrifying burst of color and excitement to this 2009 hit.
Faith Hill
You could call the duo, the Mariah and Whitney of country music. Faith Hill splashed into the musical limelight around the same time as Shania and garnered her own posse of a fan base. And although she’s been fairly quiet in the last decade as a solo artist, she has released a number of albums and tracks alongside her husband Tim McGraw.
Take Me AsI Am began Hill’s lasting legacy in country music in 1993. Spending a lot of time in my mom’s car, the album was a staple on our playlist for sure. The title-track ignites the the album with a pulsating drumbeat. With an even amount of fun and uptempo tracks to somber ones, despite it being unevenly distributed in sequence. “Just About Now” is a timeless piece because it speaks of truly living in the moment. There’s something about certain people that you mean that you just realize quickly – they came into your life for growth and enjoyment of the moment. If you’re anything like me, you never want to let that go.
Opposing that song, with the same message but, in a different form; “Life’s Too Short to Love Like That” is wake-up call to those who do not wish to continue watching something or someone negative slow them down. The constant pull-and-push concept is not effective or conducive to a flourishing or healthy relationship. But, whether it’s the empowerment of “Go the Distance,” the carefree spirit of “Wild One,” or determined mind of “But I Will;” there’s a song that fits perfectly for every moment within life. And that essentially, is what a well-crafted album represents – a story.
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood found herself in the midst of immediate stardom following her win of the hit TV show American Idol in its fourth season. Her vocals and beauty wowed the show’s crowd and audiences to come soon after. My musical fascination for Underwood, started from the beginning and soon after her win, developed into a fandom that feels justified. The soothing tone to her voice, and her ability to weave in and out of themes and stories of her songs is her most amazing quality.
Some Hearts, her debut work found itself going multi-platinum (enough for the time-period to not only put women back on top of the country charts but, also to be certified that highly by any country artist since 1991 and overall by any female country artist. Certainly, it would make sense commercially, that the sophomore effort would not do as well as its predecessor; however, the growth and artistry development that Underwood displayed on album 2 was the beyond poignant.
The first album is most often the hardest to top because it builds a foundation from which the artist can establish their fan base upon and also find a theme and style that best fits each one. Carnival Ride was just the icing on the cake following Carrie Underwood’s breathtaking debut. The sophomore 2007 smash-hit is as bright as its cover. Although, the cover may be a bit misleading, with songs like: “Just a Dream,” “You Won’t Find This,” and “Wheel of the World” – there are notes of haunting spells within this piece of work that are simply captivating. From the deep-rooted family ties of “All-American Girl,” to the devastation of “Just a Dream,” to the internal turmoil of “Twisted;” there’s a little piece of magic within every song.
Toni Braxton
Given today’s times and music standards, you would be astonished to hear Toni Braxton’s name mentioned on the radio or pop-culture overall. While she is still making hits and working effortlessly within the music and entertainment scene, there is a certain nostalgia feel from her early work. Along with her eponymous debut Toni Braxton, Secrets is the gem of an album that drew me automatically to love her. Her debut was always her on rotation during car rides as a child but, soon after I became a bit older, I listened to more of her works and fell in love with this record.
It’s true, no one touches sensuality and soulfulness in their songs like Toni Braxton. She knows how to move her voice to the music and lyrics she is presented. Today’s generation will never comprehend ‘real’ and ‘true’ vocals like Toni’s because now the entertainment value is driven by quantity of hits and views rather than quality of the craft and artist. Toni Braxton breaks the foundation with the smash single, “Un-Break My Heart.” “Why Should I Care” is a breath of fresh air, of living life by her own terms which is rare for a love-infused album. Two songs that highlight how hypnotizing and soothing Braxton’s artistry is.
Avril Lavigne
Canadian singer, Avril Lavigne released her pop-punk debut record Let Go all the way back in 2002. It was one of the first CDs that I had bought when they became the mainstream of music, alongside No Secrets by the band of the same name and Aaron’s Party (Come Get It) by Aaron Carter, (I know…what a collection). Lavigne has managed to propel herself into the same level stratosphere as some of today’s other pop superstars like P!NK and Britney Spears, while at the same time, staying true to her image and not diverting too far from where she began with this record. While she may have released some brighter pop singles, there’s always a little mystique behind her showmanship.
Let Go starts off underground with a grinding steel bass guitar and a heavy grunge-like chorus, “Losing Grip” emotes with a heavy tone, how one person can make another break down to their lowest and deepest core so effortlessly. Following that, “Complicated” is the lead single off the album, still heard on mainstream radio stations to this day. And, why? Because it truly is a head-shaking, rant-raving; song that lets all its frustration out in one burst. “Sk8ter Boi” and “I’m With You” were the other top two singles to come away from the album that launched Avril into the stardom that she now holds amongst her fans in the music world. Some key tracks that are worth the listen though are, “Things I’ll Never Say” and “My World.” They are fun, lyrically and very relatable to most of us.
Gloria Estefan
For over 35 years, Gloria Estefan has dominated both the latin and pop charts. Her dramatized, sultry voice; sings to the tone of love, passion and heartache like no other. Adding her Hispanic flair, Estefan fuels each song with a telenovela / soap opera theme that hypnotizes the listener’s ear till their heart’s content. From her beginnings with The Miami Sound Machine, to riding solo alongside her equally famed husband Emilio Estefan, Gloria is a force to be reckoned with amongst her female counterparts including: Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, and Cèline Dion. Let It Loose was my introduction Estefan and Latin music overall.
Let It Loose blends its keyboard and percussion sound perfectly throughout the record, while Estefan’s vocals stream right through the instrumentation and sound eloquently. The ‘80s-pop dramatics along with the excitement of the jazz and latin tones make for the album itself to transform into a romantic story book or short movie. “Betcha Say That” eases the listener into the record, and is a light flirtatious tune. The title track “Let It Loose,” is purely a carefree dance track. Along the chart-topper “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “1-2-3” the album is aligned equally with dance floor sensations, and desirable and sexy ballads. “Can’t Stay Away from You” is the ideal standout ballad that holds the record together and entrances the listener open themselves up to the rest of the album.
Women In Music 