Music

Jazmine Sullivan Displays Her Powerhouse Vocals In A Soothing NPR Tiny Desk Concert

The R&B singer performs a medley of songs off her new album ‘Heaux Tales.’ …

It’s been over five years since we last heard from R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan with her LP Reality Show. But this week, the singer returned to get a lot off her chest with the vulnerable album Heaux Tales. To celebrate the release of her project, Sullivan appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series to showcase her dynamic vocal range and soothing melodies.

Taking the stage with her band and a trio of backup singers, Sullivan kicked off her set with her Heaux Tales album opener “Bodies (Intro).” The song is Sullivan’s way of holding herself accountable for her past slip-ups and pushing herself to find the strength to change her lifestyle. The singer then transitioned into a rendition of her tracks, “The Other Side,” “Lost One,” and “Let It Burn.”

Closing out her set, Sullivan was joined by Grammy Award-winning musician HER for assistance performing their collaborative single “Girl Like Me.” HER appeared by Sullivan’s side with an acoustic guitar in hand to contribute her expert finger-picking and soaring vocals. The two harmonize an account of feeling insecure after being left in the dust by their last partner.

Watch Jazmine Sullivan’s NPR Tiny Desk concert above.

Heaux Tales is out now via RCA. Get it here.

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Artist Spotlight

Temidayo Balogun bridges tradition and modern expression on latest release “Ori I “Concept of Democracy”

Temidayo Balogun‘s latest release, “Ori I “Concept of Democracy,” blends African musical traditions with contemporary jazz to explore identity and community. “Talking drums, native instruments, but there are also passing notes on the piano and a saxophone for another dimension to the musical language,” the song is characterized by.

The track isn’t rooted in one musical planet, but in the relationship between its different elements. Talking drums are part of African musical traditions. The piano and saxophone add a jazz-oriented dimension. That contrast lets the song explore its themes of identity and community as much through sound as concept.

If you like genre-bending work, “Ori I’ Concept of Democracy” is a thoughtful musical experience. Temidayo Balogun mixes indigenous instrumentation with contemporary jazz textures to keep the focus on the relationship between people, culture, and community. The track works because the sounds come together. It invites the listener to dwell on the musical ideas rather than just pass through them.

Connect with Temidayo Balogun on Spotify || Instagram || Facebook || Youtube

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Artist Spotlight

Sara Diana follows a wild spirit into the moonlight on latest release “Her Hair’s Like Fire”

Sara Diana‘s latest release, “Her Hair’s Like Fire,” opens with the image of a woman not to be contained by material things or expectations. The character of the song says that they are not for sale, not even with diamonds. She runs with flowers, sings to the moon when no one is around, and has a mysterious sense of where she’s from. A beautifully wild personality sits at the heart of the idea.

The diamonds create a nice tension, and there’s a woman who goes mad and mad again. The recurring flower imagery connects her to something natural and instinctual. And there is a mystery in the repeated mulling over that people may never really know whence she comes, too. She is elusive, independent, always on the move.

It’s a song that seems to praise a woman who does her own thing. Her Hair Is Like Fire. Sara Diana’s song outlines that character with simple but evocative images and leaves the listener with the image of someone who runs free, sings under the moon, and doesn’t stand still. “There’s a beautiful idea of a wild one that just keeps running, and it captures the spirit of it all.”

Connect with Sara Diana on Spotify || Instagram || Youtube