Australian singer-songwriter Violeta Bozanic, who was the junior vocalist winner of the prestigious 2018 World Championships of Performing Arts award in the United States, has just released her debut single, “Jealous”. The song was produced by world renowned producer Jeffrey Weber and written by Violeta with Dapo Torimiro (John Legend, Stevie Wonder, and Justin Bieber). The teen songstress launched herself into the music universe at the tender age of eleven when she reached the semi-finals in Australia’s Got Talent, and hasn’t looked back since. Just to be clear, I love big voices and originality and Violeta has both of them. Her voice really draws you in. If you love a mix between R&B and pop music, songs with more than just nice beat, songs that speaks to your soul. You’ll love this track.
Violeta navigates lower octaves with an ease that deserves an ovation, to reveal real vulnerability and heart, on “Jealous”. The production is minimal, with nocturnal guitar providing the bed for a confessional, while the drums beat like a thumping heartbeat. Compared to her contemporaries, this is an earnest attempt to put gimmickry aside for proper artistry.
This a strong, confident girl with a voice that can belt feelings. She starts out singing in relatively low-key, yet expressive manner, as she reflects on being tired of a particular relationship situation. She’s incredibly honest, makes valid points, and details the wrongs she disapproves of.
The production, chorus, and of course Violeta’s soulful vocal performance are the biggest selling points here. Those lead vocals evolve in expression, nuance and grit, as the song progresses. The kick drum is robust, the guitars shimmer, and the groove cooks.
Violeta delivers resonant, rhythmic vocals on the pre-chorus, with her fair share of cutting-edge moments as she soars on the chorus. She sings gorgeously as she spills out her feelings over this three-and-a-half-minute number. Even though she serves up some lovely nuances, she never over-sings in the least, maintaining just the right balance.
This is an unusual feat in up-and-coming singers, who usually feel the need to show off their vocal prowess, right from the get go. She has a strong vibrato when holding notes and scaling to the higher end of the spectrum, but she always exercises control, so she can remain pleasant on the ears.
In this inviting blend of R&B and contemporary pop, “Jealous” is an admirable symbiosis of astoundingly controlled singing ability, great production and intelligent poetry. And the emotions cut deep. “Jealous” as a whole is an accomplished pop record by an undeniably talented singer-songwriter.
Reaching pop star status is something more complicated than a contest to see who can sing the best or the loudest or put the most vibrato on a note. It’s a measure of something ineffable and more difficult to define: spark, personality, relatability, and empathy, among other things.
If Violeta is already showing a large portion of those elements at her age, who knows where she will be 5 years from now. I absolutely think Violeta is a tremendous artist with a fabulous voice. She doesn’t pretend to be anyone else but herself with her own style.
“Jealous” drops officially in online stores on the 28th of June 2019.
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