Wild
Island Records
Jessie J is back, but to be honest it’s hard to think of a
time when she ever went away. After releasing her debut album “Who You Are” back in 2011, Jessie stormed
the charts worldwide and hit the top spot in 19 countries. She then released a
slew of hits, performed at the London Olympics and become a judge/coach/mentor
on BBC’s The Voice. Oh and she shaved
her head (for charity that is). She hasn’t stopped! Yet some critics still can’t
believe how quickly this London girl has shot to stardom, but then neither can
Jessie apparently.
“I just can’t believe
that this is my life” she proclaims during the chorus of Wild; her return to the music scene and
the first tease of her upcoming album. From
the opening bars you can sense that this track is a little different, blending
the typical Jessie J pop with sparse hip hop beats and a firece R&B attitude.
It’s more Do It Like A Dude than Domino for example. A further twist in
the track comes with rappers Dizzee Rascal and Big Sean who bring their urban
stylings to the table. They both use this song to brag about their own accomplishments,
with Dizzee saying modestly “I'm at the
peak and I can't be topped”. Yet Jessie is still the main star of this song
and the chorus is the major pull. It’s catchy and powerful, with lyrics
brimming with swag and fire. Jessie’s vocals soar over minimalist guitar
chords, before sliding up and down the scales in a style that she has become
famous more. The fact that it may be one of the best hooks this year also means
that you’ll be singing it long after it’s finished.
But ultimately more Jessie and less Dizzee might have made
this track better. In fact having
two rappers on one track is a little bit g-g-greedy of J-J-Jessie J, and
perhaps the track would flow better without the somewhat pointless
interruptions (especially Big Sean’s “Fish
Dinner” monologue). But it’s a bold move to do so, as is the progression
away from her previous releases. Plus with
such a killer chorus it’s hard not to love this single. Wild is a definite contender for the track of the summer, or even pop anthem of 2013.
