Sometimes the press materials announcing the emergence of a major new talent can overdo the namedropping – and that’s the case that helps paint the online context from which the now 21-year-old pop vocal powerhouse is emerging with her first major label single “Got This Feeling” on Sony Music RCA Germany.
Yes, it’s crucial to realize the value of the karaoke app SMULE which gave the singer a platform for the world to first hear her richly colorful, intensely soulful, and emotionally impactful voice. But with a multi-talented singer-songwriter of this caliber, it’s best to skip all the name checking (Elvis, Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige, Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, Lil Nas X) and dig right into not only into the new track, but a growing catalog of self-released singles that built momentum for this very moment.
Perhaps the most raw and vulnerable of these is “No Longer the Same,” the piano and strings-enhanced ballad (self-released in 2018) boldly addressing the passing of her dad and how she’s processing it. Now in a much more liberated headspace, the L.A. based artist infuses “Got This Feeling” with intense rushes of hopeful romantic joy every time the impossibly hooky chorus comes around.
Working with bold, sonically intuitive producer Jordan Witzigreuter – also known as electro-pop singer/songwriter The Ready Set – she builds to those explosive moments slowly with a sense of finger-snapping cool and a breathy, get ready for a multi-sensory blast vibe that may recall Katy Perry (though her vocal instrument is much stronger!).
Though we can certainly interpret pre-chorus lines like “I caught a sign, I saw you/In the light I felt a high/When you walked through” as the hopeful energy surrounding a potential new romantic connection, knowing the deeper story of her father’s loss allows us to maybe see this in a more spiritual light – where the spirit of her father returns to smile his approval on all his daughter has become and to let her know he’s alright and to carry on pursuing her dreams.
Even as you groove and dance along to “Got This Feeling,” do yourself a favor and check out her earlier singles. You’ll get the feeling you’re listening to someone who will surely become a major pop star.
Listen to "Got This Feeling" here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2R9dgy796z1Ct6KqxxFWzt