The Best You Never Heard is back! Each week will once again see That Grape Juice spotlight an array of little known gems. Featuring picks from the TGJ editorial team, we want to know…who chose the best song! Let us know below…
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Christina Aguilera – Sing For Me
Sadly for Christina Aguilera, last year’s ‘Lotus’ didn’t quite bloom on the Billboard charts. Indeed, without being watered with promo, the set would go on to wither at a rapid rate.Yet, like most projects plagued by politics, it’s rarely the quality of the album that is ever the issue. Case, point, ‘Lotus’.
From its Enya-like intro, to club cuts such as ‘Your Body’ and ‘Let There Be Love’, the LP was jam-packed with potential hits.
One of the most potent, for yours truly, was blazing ballad ‘Sing For Me’.
A clear cousin of inspirational cuts such as ‘Beautiful’ and ‘I’m OK’, the anthemic track plays like an audio-diary – relaying a narrative of insecurity and eventual triumph by way of inner-strength.
Vocally, ‘Sing’ sees Aguilera showcase the length and breadth of her legendary range – delivering an emphatic middle finger to those critical of vocal theatrics. And rightfully so. Surely, those blessed to blow, should blow? Thankfully, it’s stance Xtina
shares, hence this shining gem. {SAM}
LISTEN: [audiotube id=”qqm22iik0tg”]
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Ashlee Simpson – Boys
Jessica‘s more eclectic sister had many an audible trick in the musical bag that was her third LP ‘Bittersweet World’ – one of them being the Summer-soaked gem ‘Boys’.
Like the bulk of the album, the track – helmed by the Chad Hugo of the Neptunes alongside ‘Say Goodbye To Love’ maestro Kenna – saw Ashlee venturing into edgier sonic territories while maintaining her Pop roots. A genuine transition, the jam’s strongest point is that it never comes off as forced or try hard (*cough* ‘#BANGERZ’ *cough*).
Unfortunately, the project never garnered the recognition it deserved and plans to release ‘Boys’ as a single were dropped. With Simpson hard at work on the album’s follow up, which she described as “a little soulful, a little electronic”, let’s pray she has the material required to reconnect with the Pop audience but also breakthrough the Urban market a la Katy Perry and Lady GaGa.
Enough with the rambling, here’s ‘Boys’ {JOE}
LISTEN: [audiotube id=”ObXc526xPuI”]
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Selena – No Me Queda Mas
Released in 1994, ‘No Me Queda Mas’ served as the third single to be pulled from Selena’s fifth studio album, ‘Amor Prohibido’, executive produced by the singer’s older brother A.B. Quintanilla III, one year before her untimely passing.
With an English translation that reads ‘There’s Nothing Left For Me’, the mid tempo ballad first impacted the world on November 20th 1994, peaking at #1 on Billboard US Hot Latin Tracks tally, but doing far more for its supporting album than many are aware of.
For, despite being a Spanish language LP, the success of its singles and the iconic music videos shot in their aid saw ‘Prohibido’ certified 2x Platinum in the US despite peaking at #181 on the Billboard 200 in the year it was initially released.
Following the Southern belle’s murder, renewed interest in the LP saw its sales skyrocket and secure a new peak position on the ‘200’. A peak position, that sang to to the tune of #29. Meanwhile, its sales surpassed the 1 million mark in Mexico. A winner. {DAVID}
Drew Sidora – I’m On One (Right Now)
She may be currently winning rave reviews for her portrayal of Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins aboard VH1’s highly rated TLC biopic ‘CrazySexyCool’ , but before she chased waterfalls as part of the trio, Drew Sidora was in hot pursuit of her own music career.
Most thought she was simply a fictional character on CW (and later BET’s) ‘The Game’, but the Chicago-born beauty’s track record has seen her signed to J Records and later Slip-N-Slide Records to share her romantic brand of “Crunk-n-B”. While her ill-fated album on SNS never quite saw the light of day, a few of its gems have been shining online due to brief feature on the hit sitcom. One such cut was ‘I’m On One (Right Now)’. Check it out: {RASHAD}
Whose Pick Was Best This Week?!