PEACHES

I've had a strange journey with Justin Bieber. When he first appeared back in 2009, a sweet-faced teen with a halo of perfectly coiffed hair and his style of bubble-gum soul, I can't say I ever listened to one of his early songs to completion. And as the Canadian-born singer became a international sensation, whipping legions of teenage girls in to a frenzy, I really didn't pay him much attention nor took him very seriously.

Like many teen idols before him, Bieber found great success yet struggled with his crushing fame. He suffered with depression and anxiety while having several run-ins with the law involving DUIs, vandalism and assault. Bieber managed to get it together, eventually settling down to get married and refocusing on his faith. And well aware that these idols of fickle teenage girls can have a short shelf-life, the performer wanted to evolve, searching for who he really wanted to be as an artist.

In 2015, Bieber unexpectedly teamed-up EDM musicians, Skrillex and Diplo with "Where Are Ü Now" earning him a worldwide club hit, newfound respect as a musician and a Grammy for Best Dance Recording in the process. This was also when I started to pay a little attention to Bieber. With his fourth studio album, "Purpose" released later in the year, I actually really liked the singles from the record, "What Do You Mean?", "Sorry" and "Love Yourself". Had I become a Belieber? Not quite but I no longer rush to turn off his music if it comes on the radio.

Bieber has just released his latest album, "Justice" which features more hits I enjoyed, "Holy", a song about faith and loyalty that features Chance the Rapper, the emotional ballad, "Lonely" where he become vulnerable, revealing his struggles with his fame at a young age and the pop anthem, "Anyone". But the song I'm really digging is the recent release, "Peaches", a slinky, r&b number with him trading verses with fellow Canadian, Daniel Caesar and Giveon. This lane is clearly where Bieber feels most at ease but he is trying on many hats on the album, creating wide ranging musical styles with some working better for him than others.

NEW SOUNDS

DRAKE

Sheryl Crow just recently announced that she's recording one last album before only releasing singles in the future, acknowledging the change in the business with no one seemingly interested in full albums amymore.

Thankfully, Drake, who is one of the biggest artists around today, doesn’t believe that and with his fifth studio release, “Scorpion”, it’s not only a double album with twenty-five tracks but also a concept record. One side is devoted more to aggressive rap while the other features a more tender soulful side. The Canadian actor and hip-hop artist addresses some of the rumors and feuds that have surrounding him of late including confirming his paternity of a newborn son with a woman he barely knows. The album is sample-heavy with a diverse collection of musical snippets appearing featuring the work of Marvin Gaye, Lil’ Kim, the Ohio Players, Mariah Carey, Eddie Kendricks and Lauryn Hill.  Even Michael Jackson (who Drake is a major fan) shows up on the song, “Don’t Matter To Me”. But it’s an unreleased vocal track used on the hook here with the blessing of the Jackson estate and Paul Anka who co-wrote the song with Jackson.

Here is the music video for Drake's latest number one single, "Nice For What" which actually knocked off the first single from the album, "God's Plan" from the top spot. The clip features a large number of big-name female talent who make guest appearances including Olivia Wilde, Misty Copeland, Issa Rae, Rashida Jones, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi and Tiffany Haddish.



H.E.R.

Taking a page from Sia’s playbook, the artist called H.E.R. had tried to keep her identity secret as she only wanted to be represented by her music. Sadly, the ability to remain completely anonymous in this day and age is almost impossible. And soon the woman behind H.E.R. (which ironically stands for "having everything revealed") became public knowledge and that the twenty-four year old singer was born Gabi Wilson from Vallejo, California.

Regardless, the focus should remain on her music which is a sparkling blend of classic soul and offbeat rhythms with a voice that’s like a sensuous whisper. Her 2016 EP, "H.E.R. Vol. 1" was met with critical acclaim and high praise from fellow artists including Rihanna who had H.E.R. playing in the background on one of her Instagram posts. The following year, H.E.R.’s self-titled debut was released and featured the lush ballad, "Focus" which reached the top ten on the U.S. r&b chart. She is definitely one to watch and recently teamed up with another rising artist, Khalid for a song on the soundtrack for the remake of "Superfly".

Check out her recent performance on the B.E.T Awards to best experience the true artistry of H.E.R. She does live versions of "Focus" and her other hit, "Best Part" which she duets with Daniel Caesar: