British singer Jessie Ware has released a new album entitled What’s Your Pleasure? The overall themes are love, heartbreak, and empowerment.
The music is primarily Pop/Brit Pop, with some Rock and R&B. There are fantastic parallels to other artists/bands, throughout the album. The first example is the song Ooh La La – it has a composition that is similar to Queen’s classic hit Another Bites the Dust. Soul Control has a melody that parallels the song Fresh by the Kool and the Gang. The tune The Kill has a beat that compares to Madonna’s La Isla Bonita. The music of the record has a combination of old-school musical styles from the 70s and the 80s mixed with contemporary sounds.
Jessie Ware’s voice is powerful and passionate, with soft tones at times. Her vocal style has tonalities that match Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, and the late Whitney Houston. In the song The Kill, Jessie Ware’s singing style reminds of Madonna’s singing in the hits La Isla Bonita and Like A Prayer.
The lyrics are bold, inspirational and empowering, especially women. The metaphors are intricate in the songs. An example of this is the tune Mirage, a reference to humans seeing something based on the reflection of something humans desire. The beginning of the song is a reference to Bananarama’s Cruel Summer. The words of each song are boldly about being assertive and taking action through the journey of self-reflection. Each song on the album tells a personal story from relationships to the news of the time. The lyrics are from the heart and well-written, making them genuine and authentic.
My favourite songs are Spotlight, Ooh La La, Read My Lips, and Mirage.
