RāViewz: Music | November 2021
Here's what Rāwiri is jamming to this month...
Tiwa Savage ft. Brandy - Somebody's Son
A consistent hit maker for over a decade in her native Nigerian, Afrobeat artist Tiwa Savage has her biggest worldwide hit yet with Somebody's Son.
The moody midtempo finds Tiwa contemplating her previous relationships and her less-than-stellar choices in romantic partners. "Okun mi le, O le ko ko," her heavy heart decries at the pre-chorus. "Tired of getting it wrong."
Ever the optimist though, the singer makes the most of the rhythm's bounce as she determines, "this won't be another heartbreak song." It all culminates with a catchy chorus and a message of hope for the future. Jumping on the recent Somebody's Son trend, Savage knows that one day, love will find her.
Until then though, she's got Brandy, a vocal powerhouse who demonstrates beautiful restraint on her verse and harmonies. The support work helps to bring the energy up in the final third of the song, and keep that chorus humming, even after the track is finished.
Khalid - Present
Depending on your source, this latest track from Khalid will feature on his upcoming EP Scenic Drive, or it will appear on a full-length album (currently titled Everything is Changing, and due for release in December).
The mystery surrounding release rollout is still not clear. What is obvious, however, is that with James Maddocks and Hoskins on production duties, Khalid is destined for even more chart greatness.
With a breezy guitar strum and punchy drums, the R&B singer delivers an understated and uncomplicated romance devotional. "Is it okay if I take a night to be present, yeah?" he asks in the song's chorus.
Sentimental without being sappy, it's yet another hit for the Georgia native.
Summer Walker ft. JT - Ex For A Reason
Summer Walker has never been the type to mince her words, and this holds true on her latest track, the effervescent Ex For A Reason.
And don't let that high energy beat and fast tempo fool you, either. She might be sound like she's having fun, but Ms Walker is serious here. Deadly serious. "That bitch your ex for a reason though," she sings, "try me, trespass, guaranteed to beat your ass..."
It's channelling early 2000s Ciara x Missy Elliott and it absolutely works. Whether its Summer herself sweetly singing about going through her man's phone, or rapping collabo partner JT styling out over a potential side chick, Ex For A Reason is one of the more unique R&B offerings of recent years.
If this is any indication of how her forthcoming album Still Over It is shaping up, we're in for a hell of a record.
Majid Jordan - Been Through That
Canadian R&B duo Majid Jordan hit the bigtime in 2013 when they appeared on Drake's international hit Hold On, We're Going Home. Since then, the producer/singer combo have released three full-length albums, the latest of which, Wildest Dreams, has just dropped.
The second single released from the album was Been Through That, an upbeat call-to-arms for the millennial generation. As the duo explained, "We’ve all been through when you’re looking back on your life, just moments that you had to go through stuff—it’s basically that idea. I see you, I recognise that because I’ve been through that."
The 'slide with it, glide with it' refrain of the hook's intro and outro set the scene for the up-tempo track and the chorus will have you nodding your head - both to the beat, and in agreement of the song's message.
JoJo - Worst (I Assume)
Equipped with one of the most agile and variable voices in modern pop, JoJo's 2021 EP trying not to think about it features a strong collection of love and heartbreak songs, one of the best of which she's released a single.
Worst (I Assume) details the singer's likelihood to project her fears and insecurities on her partner, automatically assuming the worst of them. "I keep assumin' you're gonna do shit that might break my heart, so I keep up my guard, and I know it's confusin'..." she professes in the chorus.
It's intensely relatable subject matter and it's delivered with conviction and confidence by the acclaimed singer. After to listening to this once, we dare you not to try and think about it.
ProfJam ft. Agir - Alguém Como Tu
Signed to Sony Music, Portuguese superstar ProfJam teamed up with rapper/producer Agir for this atmospheric R&B ballad, on Prof's L.S.D. album.
Both Lisbon natives deliver the goods, with ProfJam's bass approach to the verses and rap lines balance out Agir's confident falsetto on the chorus nicely.
Alguém como tu translates to 'someone like you' and the lyrics have him questioning the existence of God and angels because of his new romantic interest.
Hypnotic and relatable, Alguém Como Tu is a great introduction into Portuguese R&B in 2021.
Check out all of this month's tracks on the RāViewz Spotify playlist!