The term “next-level realness” is one that you hear mentioned when people talk about Cloudy June, and for once, it is a PR label that seems to fit. It isn’t hyperbole or exaggeration; it perfectly sums up the open and honest nature of both the artist and the music – a young artist singing about young lives in the language of youth. It’s as simple as that.
And musically, too, there is something totally of the moment about what Cloudy June does. Taking blends of poised pop infectiousness and deft dance beats, urban grooves, and cool R&B swagger, seamless blends of digital delights and analogue antics and using it as a vehicle to drive lyrics which are direct and intimate is a neat trick.
Too many artists claim to be making the music of the future, but when it comes down to it, they are still playing with the usual blues progressions and overdone pop templates. Cloudy June can’t be accused of anything so banal. 21st Century Princess feels like a natural and exciting glimpse into the next chapter of the story of music.
