New Music Tuesday: Chrisette Michelle and Ciara

Morning Fashion People!

It’s NEW MUSIC Tuesday! Two projects were released that I have been anticipating, Chrisette Michelle and Ciara. These two ladies are on opposite ends of the music spectrum, but they both make good tracks. Here’s my review:

Let me start off by saying – I’ve loved Chrisette since her first album ‘I Am’. Her smooth soulful jazz-centric voice floats lovely over almost any beat. Last album, she was more jazz focused with poetic lyrics – this album she is appealing to a larger audience. Don’t think it’s a bad thing, her new mode works nicely. She employed Ne-Yo to co-write and co-produce her first single ‘Epiphany’. More hip-hop style beats – reminiscent of her times of singing hooks for Hip-hops heavy hitters – Jay-Z, Nas, and The Roots. In articles, Chrisette said that she wanted to try something new and take a fresh approach to developing her current project. She does well, and will be sure to please long-time fans and gain new ones.

Stylistically, Ms. Chrisette has taken a page from the Rihanna handbook for style success – Rule #1 – Leave the weave, and get funky. Chrisette chopped her locks back in ’08 adding a splash of blond on her faux-hawk. In addition, she works with celebrity stylist June Ambrose to cultivate a funky ’50’s vibe – pencil skirts, fitted jackets, killer heels, and lots of classically funky accessories. Good Deal!

Here’s her Associated Press interview with Ne-Yo – good stuff:

Next up we have CiCi – Ciara, the princess of ATL crunnk and the hottest dancer in the r&b game since Mya. Ciara is always good for giving us that summer jam, that slow-jam banger, with the southern sassiness that competes with Monica (another ATL songstress).

However, upon first listen, Ciara seems a bit confused on where she wants to stand in the industry with this project. True, it’s hard in the game with Beyonce and Rihanna staying on top of the charts with style and finesse, so Ciara needs to remember where she came from – the crunkness of ATL with the sexy swagger of an R&B femme fatale. I loved her single, ‘Never Ever’ feat. Young Jeezy, but most people gave it a lukewarm response. She then gave us ‘Love, Sex, & Magic’ feat. Justin Timberlake. This got the pop play she was looking for, but at what price? Losing fans that she had since ‘Oh’ and ‘1,2, Step’. True she wants to show her development, that she’s a grown-up now, no longer the cheerleader from high school – but this project may have needed to stay in the studio a lil bit longer in order to get a better direction.

Now let’s check the style score – whew! This girl is all over the place. One magazine she’s romantic, or maybe today she wants to be super-sexy, hair is braided, maybe it’s blond the next week, or maybe just a ponytail -WHAT! Please, direction, direction, direction – Even when Christina Aguliera wanted to be ‘Dirty’ she stuck with that phase the WHOLE YEAR, no matter what the critics had to say. Being in the music industry, it is VERY difficult to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack, but it’s not IMPOSSIBLE. My advice – go with the grown-up girl next store look, with a delicate splash of sexy. Long flowing jet-black tresses, slim jeans, flowing shirts, bare face with a detailed eye, and call it a day.