Kelly Rowland – Don’t You Worry (2019)
Is one of my life’s dispositions to be drawn to the best singer in a group, even though they are the second most popular and not destined for mega success? My JC Chasez devotion is very thoroughly documented and is really a part of my brand at this point. A lesser known fact is that one Kelendria Trene Rowland is my favorite member of Destiny’s Child. Her voice is unmatched. Her music, on the other hand, is uneven. So imagine my delight when I heard this new song, which is so firmly rooted in the sound of 90s R&B (the greatest of all R&Bs, imo). If you notice her ad-libbed “Ha” after the modulation toward the end of the song, the story in my mind is that she knew she didn’t miss with this one.
Brandy – I Wanna Be Down (1994)
So that 90s R&B sound of the previous song? More specifically, it sounds like this song (both the original and the remix, which is even more impressive). This song is as special to me today as it was in 1994 when I was listening to the version I taped off the radio on my dad’s Walkman during recess in 6th grade. It’s sonically interesting, her low and raspy voice unlike anything I’d heard from her predecessors, like Shanice or Tracie Spencer. And the lyrics! How brave of that girl to just ask the damn thing and state her purpose! Gimme some of that confidence today!
Hi, I'm Kia 