Jessie J - Who You Are, a review



Blahblahblah hype blahblah critics choice blahblahblah. On the release of her two hit singles I was still unconvinced of the buzz about her; a few decent vocal performances on Jools Holland and various website promotions were far from exceptional, not to take away from her talents.

We're all familiar with current chart-botherer 'Price Tag', a pop song so perfectly crafted to embed itself in your subconscious and days later present itself in the form of your own hums. B.o.B. makes an entirely pointless appearance to cement her very current appeal, being the "featured rapper with minimal input" du jour. 'Nobody's Perfect' is somewhat endearing, showing off her vocals with a few obvious confidence lyrics.

In 'Abracadabra' there's pop-synths that the Saturdays would be proud to adorn, with a chorus with the same rhythm as 'Tik Tok' and all sorts of other current monoliths, but without the variety to prevent it from going stale quickly. 'Big White Room' is a lovely acoustic performance that again shows her more talented, traditional vocal styles. 'Casualty of Love' is all 90s reggae-tinged R&B, not particularly a genre I'm fond of, and again goes nowhere.



In 'Rainbow' there's a sudden shift to her 'Do It Like A Dude' urban style. On a sidenote reviewing is quite difficult when your niece keeps sending MSN winks. Anyway - the song's fine. However things take a sour turn in 'Who's Laughing Now', in what was probably intended to be a big middle finger to all the critics and cynics of her early career, but it smacks more of arrogance and the dreaded term "haters" gets a mention. The tune is somewhat redemptive, and some of the mimickry of the false friends is a little amusing.

The supposed irony of 'Do It Like A Dude' in critiquing all of these popstars who try to act hard is a little...confusing. Since that's really her niche? Nonetheless it possesses enough single potential to at least hook you. There's a welcome burst of soul and Motown influences on 'Mamma Knows Best' that sticks out. The intro to 'L.O.V.E.' introduces this nonchalant personality which is about as endearing as a veruca.



'Stand Up' again showcases Cornish at her best - with innocent-enough uplifting pop, now that there's a little bit of a gap in the Lily Allen market, being a shade more kitsch (with singalong chorus and cliché lyrics). 'I Need This' is pleasant enough but I don't think it's going to be anyone's favourite. And the same can be said for closer 'Who You Are', a middle of the road pride anthem.

For something so hyped...I'm unimpressed. There are 3 different Jessie J's presented here - the unconvincing tough chick (she went to Brit school and wrote 'Party in the USA', let's not forget); the safe boring cheerful popstar; and the cute promising vocalist. Unfortunately the best of the 3 personas is used sparingly, and there's a glaring lack of firm identity, good songwriting or personality in this record.

Rating: 5/10
Highlights: Price Tag, Big White Room, Mamma Knows Best, Stand Up
Avoid: L.O.V.E., Who's Laughing Now

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