The UK’s finest, multiple award-winning artisan Estelle is back with a brand new album on a brand new label. Signed by US ‘Soul Sensation’ John Legend to his Homeschool label, the album is a joint crusade among Homeschool and Atlantic Records.
“I have known John for a while now…we worked on my original album 18th day before he was signed. He featured on “Hey Girl,” played piano on “Free,” and appeared in the video. As I went to do my second album I asked him to help exec-produce it. As I modern with it, I left my label and he said he’d sign me and here we are today. We always make great songs together. While I like and listen to a lot of musicians – there aren’t a heap of I respect on a level to help me write songs or upgrade/push me as an artist…but John is one of them.”
The album features collaborations with the likes of Kanye West, Will.I.Am, Wyclef Jean, Mark Ronson, Ceelo, Swizz Beatz who are just galore of the ‘hitmakers’ that Estelle has been in the studio with…and of course, John Legend.
Amazon.co.ukAward-winning British artisan Estelle never got her just desserts for her 2004 debut album The 18th Day. Though the record was a critical success, it failed to make the mainstream splash a lot of had hoped for. Her sophomore project, Shine, seems hell bent on avoiding the same fate. Backed up by a coterie of high profile US starlets–Wyclef Jean, will.i.am, Mark Ronson and Kanye West–Shine has surefire mercantile success written all over it; though that’s not to say Estelle has sold out. Despite the high-impact American-style production, Shine remains reassuringly British. Estelle’s West London twang is as sharp as ever, and even Kanye drops rhymes with regards to “WAGS” and “London Boys” (see single “American Boy”). It’s each bit as diverse as it is predecessor too, featuring dancehall party jams (“Magnificent”, produced by Mark Ronson and featuring Kardinal Offishall), the will.i.am produced “Wait a Minute (Just a Touch)” (which uses a twisted up sample from Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You”) to lovers’ rock (“Come Over”) and, of course, a good deal of love ballads too, such as “Substitute Lover”, overseen by Wyclef. A solid all-round follow up, Shine will have to give Estelle the mercantile success she deserves. –Danny McKenna
American Boy Vinyl Estelle Photo
American Boy Vinyl Estelle Image
American Boy Vinyl Estelle Photo
American Boy Vinyl Estelle Picture
Sassy rap and soft vocals.
For a good deal of reason, things never genuinely took off for this gifted young UK soul singer when she initial emerged four years ago, all freshness and light.
Unwilling to settle for also-ran status, she upped sticks to the States and made a good deal of powerful friends.
Now resident in New York, the London lass gets an international makeover. Cue Kanye West guest slot, John Legend in the control room, with Will.i.am, Mark Ronson, Wyclef and Cee-Lo lending helping hands. With that sort of help and Estelle’s smarts and agility – embracing everything from summery funk to Lily Allen lovers’ rock – she may scarcely fail. And, in spite of this being a bit heavy on production and light on substance, she doesn’t.
Although the album includes primarily smooth American-sounding production, Estelle’s gritty Englishness hasn’t altogether vanished and she marks her personality neatly all over all 12 tracks on this album: even with the stateside makeover Estelle seems to be sticking to her origins and unquestionably pushes the bar in making “Shine” as distinguishable as possible
Kanye West makes a playful cameo on her current single, “American Boy”.
Kicking off with a spunky opening, it is a track which without doubt or question draws on a great deal of influences: velvety vocals and a sure 1940′s dancehall feel make for numerous smash hit ingredients.
The songstress proves she is a lady of a great deal of natural abilities and qualities by providing the record with a speckle of sassy rapping.
Not instantaneously catchy, take a few listens and you will be hooked on the Estelle vibe.
Refreshingly, in spite of the Amerie/Rihanna-style R&B pop of opening track “Wait A Minute (Just A Touch)”, Estelle has remained unfeigned to her very British sweet ska soul sound on a heap of tracks, and the entire album is a testament to her breezy, effortless capacity to fetch a host of musical styles under her soul-pop umbrella.
“Shine” is a genuinely introductory combining of sounds mixed with sassy rap lyrics and soft vocals, there warrants to be one that every one will take pleasure in hearing : it surely shines bright enough, to make you consider pulling out the shades.
The 18th Day
Estelle and her armada of American boys…
I became a fan of UK soul singer Estelle in 2004 after seeing the
video to her delightful hit single “1980″ as well as the hit “Free”,
which led me to get her brilliant debut CD “The 18th day” (reminiscent
of Lauryn Hill’s debut). It was a nice blend of soul and hip hop, with
a British attitude. Unfortunately (as happens ever-so-often in the
music industry), the public didn’t get it (the album stalled at #35 in
the UK) and she was dropped by her record label after two more singles
which hardly registered with the public (no reflectiveness on the music
though which was, as I stated, brilliant!). Fast forward to 2008 and
Estelle is back with a bang, though she had to cross the pond and arm
herself with an armada of behemoths like will.i.am, Wyclef, Mark
Ronson, Swizz Beatz, and John Legend (the latter who signed her to his
record label) to do it.
Soul Amazing!!!!
I work for a company that regularly recieves CDs from new and upcomming artist. Most aren’t worth the shrink wrap and postage they came in, but by the third track of “Shine” I was ripping the CD to put it on my MP3 player. Estelle’s voice and sound are remindful of Lauren Hill’s “Miseducation” but it’s surely no copy cat. The LP is well developed and brings about an unbelievable mix of generes (a little hip-hop, soul, jazz, and reggae). I got my copy for free, and I just purchased one for a friend. Estelle is unquestionably soul sincere!
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