Voices like this don’t come along that often, but Zoey Madison is one of those destined to stand out. In fact, upon hearing just the opening track of her debut EP, Electric, you can imagine what was going through Clive Davis‘s head when he first heard Whitney Houston sing. That’s quite a claim for me to make, but one that is easily defended by giving this four-track offering a few spins.
Blending timeless soul vibes with 90’s R&B-pop and modern chart-bound vibes, hers is a sound that is both fresh and exciting, charged and charismatic, and dripping with echoes of some of the finest memories of pop past.
The title track opens as a smooth, sophisticated piece, but when she hits those vocal highs as the song heads to the finish line, you realise this is not just another popster; this is the sound of something special descending on the popscape.
“Scars” is a gorgeous piano-led ballad, soaked in ambient vibes and pop brilliance, steadily building in sonic weight and gently anthemic power. “Move” repackages the timeless blues ballad, all staccato guitars and spacious atmospheres, but perfectly poised and polished for today’s pop fans and neo-soul aficionados, and “Lullabies” rounds things off in a floating pop haze.
More pop music is being made today than ever before. But even so, despite all the sonic white noise, the marketing hype, pop poseurs and also-rans vying for your attention, as soon as you hear Zoey Madison, all of those fall away into nothing and you realise that she is the real deal.