I am trying to keep this going and finish out the year strong. Even though, it is getting a little harder to do reviews. I guess it’s hard when you like just about everything LOL. But, this review may be a bit different, for a change…
Ella Mai… An Honest Review
Not that my other reviews aren’t honest, because I put everything out there when I do them, even when it comes to those albums that I obsess over. But for this particular review, I’m not going to be really talking from a “fan” perspective. I respect Ella Mai for her talent, voice, and overall artistry, but this album is just not it for me, personally. I feel as though it may have been over-hyped, and that ruins a lot of music for me, and I have to listen to it a lot more once the hype has died down.
So, Ella Mai is an R&B singer and this album has a lot of slow, love-type songs, and even the uptempo tracks have a more chill/ laid back vibe to them. For me, if you’re going to have a slower tempo based album, I need to be moved, really feel it. I don’t feel that with this album. And, I am not the biggest fan of her commentary in between songs.
I get that she may be going for a somewhat different image, being an R&B singer; and this may be the Kehlani situation for me all over again. It took me a while to become a fan of her, due to all of the hype, and it just wasn’t hearing what everyone was hearing. That’s exactly what I’m feeling when it comes to Ella Mai right now. I was a fan of “Boo’d Up”, but radio has kind of ruined it for me LOL (it’s been in constant rotation since it came out), and they’re starting to do that with “Trip” too.
And before I really end this review, I do have a few favorites from this album. Not counting “Boo’d Up” (because of reasons listed above), I do really like “Gut Feeling” featuring H.E.R., “Easy”, and the bonus track “Naked”. Now, those songs did awaken some emotions, which I always appreciate from good music. And I will continue to listen to it to see if my mind changes towards some of the other tracks.
Final Thoughts!
Ella Mai, her unique voice, overall hip style, and 90’s vibe puts her with Kehlani, Mahalia, and Jorja Smith, for me. I love to see all of these young women doing real R&B, and even though I may not take them in like everyone else, I will continue to watch and root for them. They are making an impact and that’s important. The opinions of people like me who don’t put everything on a pedestal, won’t really affect their sales or hype, and I’m cool with that.
Check Her Out!
Official: www.ellamai.com
Twitter & Instagram @ellamai
