Missunderstood

Having put together an all-platinum hit streak consisting of Medicine, Karma, and Butterflies -- the first two of which also topped Billboards Adult R&B Songs chart -- Queen Naija could have rushed her debut album. Instead, she took her time with Missunderstood, and it shows. While Naija has excelled with singles, the longer format allows her diaristic songwriting to truly flourish, and theres more poise and nuance in her lithe vocals without sacrificing the power of her rawest expressions. Beyond proving these notions, Butterflies, Pt. 2 is the sets biggest risk. Sequels to big hits rarely pay off artistically or commercially, and this one beat the odds by evoking a scenario even brighter than the original and by becoming Naijas third number one adult R&B single. Additionally, the song gently lifts the mood evoked in the preceding soul-searching ballad Trial and Error and functions as a smooth setup for Beautiful, a contented finale where Naijas skyward harmonies are ornamented neatly with strings. Strong songs elsewhere are the rule, not the exception. Foremost among these are consecutive collaborations with Warren Oak Felder: Pack Lite, a fed-up if dazzling slow jam referencing Erykah Badus Bag Lady, and Lie to Me, a clever switch-up embedded with multiple references to fellow Michiganders DeBarge. On the sensual ballad Love Language, Naija sails the interzone between Janet Jackson and Jhene Aiko, but shes otherwise in a stylistic lineage with fervent storytellers such as Keyshia Cole and K. Michelle. As with them, Naijas most compatible featured vocalists are R&B to the bone. The collaborations with Lucky Daye and Kiana Lede in particular are natural, not merely strategic moves to maximize streaming consumption. ~ Andy Kellman

YouTuberを経て、2018年から"Medicine"などのヒットで人気を集める現行R&B のクイーン候補が、2020年リリースしていた初のフル・アルバム。〈誤解されたお嬢〉を謳うように、序盤からヘイターたちの罵詈雑言を晒し、自身の壮絶な過去も曝け出す人生劇場的な内容で、キアナ・レデイ、ラッキー・デイ、ジャクイース、ムラートらをゲストに迎え、アンビエント～トラップ以降のモードも踏まえつつオーセンティックに仕上げた楽曲を人懐っこい声で歌っていく。"Pack Lite"でエリカ・バドゥ"Bag Lady"を換骨奪胎し、リル・ダークを迎えてデバージ"A Dream"を使った"Lie To Me"やメイズ"Happy Feelin's"のメロを引用した"Pressure"で2パック愛を滲ませるルーツ表明も好感。気風の良さにしびれる快作だ。
bounce (C)林剛