British singer Jessie J’s new album “Who You Are” is a pop music project that has a unique sound--but it’s definitely not for everyone. Whether it’s the strong mix of music genres (Jessie’s album can transition from pop to soul to hip-hop in the blink of an eye), or her penchant for intentionally stuttering on songs (such as the live version of “Big White Room”), this is truly one album that might polarize a lot of music fans.
People who don’t know or like Jessie J can certainly look at her performances on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” or “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and feel the “Price Tag” singer is ripping off the image of past pop princesses like Madonna or Lady Gaga. And that actually might be true, as a world full of Gaga’s and Minaj’s have caused some female artists to go the more extreme route in an effort to get notice.
But Jessie J won’t be wearing a meat dress any time soon. And with “Who You Are” having such strong vocals across the board, she won’t have to.
Let’s take “Price Tag” off the table here, as the fun, radio friendly song is actually one of the least enjoyable tracks here.
Let’s instead move immediately to “Casualty of Love,” a song Jessie belts out with pained, palpable emotion. Or “Nobody’s Perfect,” a track where we hear Jessie J actually get introspective in regards to why her relationship is doomed.
If this were a Beyonce track, she’d simply brag about being “Irreplaceable.”
Then there’s the more upbeat tracks. “Abracadabra” sees Jessie becoming impatient after seemingly meeting Mr. Right, while “Do It Like a Dude” shows that Jessie can “stomp stomp” with the men any day of the week.
Overall, the album “Who You Are” has much more replay value than a typical pop album because many of the songs are not only catchy, but have memorable lyrics. Jessie J is not the second coming of Henry David Thoureau, but there’s no denying that in a music industry obsessed with sex, drugs, and rock and roll, Jessie’s lyrics are not only tame, but quite uplifting.
Take the aptly titled song “Stand Up”:
Cuz' you're as old as you feel you are
And if you don't reach for the moon you can't fall on the stars
So I live my life like every day is the last, last, last
Stand Up
SCORE: **** out of *****
If you’re a Jessie J fan, or are just interested in getting to know more about her, head over to her personal YouTube channel. There, you can watch videos that date back to 2009, in which you’ll find Jessie literally sitting in a small room with just a camcorder, performing hits like “Stand Up” and “Big White Room.”
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Michael is also a columnist for the TV Examiner and African American Entertainment Examiner.
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