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The blogosphere has been flooded with potential Winehouse coattail-riders—aspiring divas like Adele and Duffy are already referred to as the “New Amys.” But in the media’s scramble to anoint a new white soul queen, some accomplished black R&B artists from the U.K. are garnering less hype and weaker sales. One of the latest to strike out overseas, Fanta Estelle Swaray is decidedly the ripest of the bunch.
Estelle, who has been highly critical of these overhyped young white women, also boasts considerable rap skills. But her sophomore LP, Shine, wisely emphasizes the range of her soulful voice—beefed up with the help of A-list producers such as Will.I.Am., Mark Ronson and Swizz Beatz.
You might have heard the record’s second single, “American Boy,” featuring a goofy Kanye West rap about “rubbish.” With its radio-friendly rhymes and treasure trove of hooks, the album is a breakthrough and nearly flawless—she missteps only on the Bob Marley–quoting, ill-informed “So Much Out the Way,” produced by the ever-misguided Wyclef Jean.
It’s easy to find parallels between Estelle and Wyclef’s Fugees bandmate, the reclusive Lauryn Hill: Throughout the album, what could easily be dismissed as standard-issue bravado instead sounds refreshingly empowering, as on the titular closing track’s refrain, “I’m a shine while my light’s on.” In “No Substitute Love,” a riff on George Michael’s “Faith,” she scolds an immature suitor, “You need to grow a couple, boy.” While her pastiche of hip-hop, R&B and reggae may be old-fashioned, she’s invigoratingly contemporary in her remix-minded approach.
Estelle plays the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park as part of Taste of Chicago on Wednesday 2.
