P Bailey has adorned our pages many times over the last few years, but just in case you missed it, we’ll fill you in again. Originally from the UK, Paul Bailey aka P Bailey grabbed his first musical influences from Motown and Muscle Shoals, as well as Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Without any formal training, the 5 octave singer, developed his singing and writing style by listening to artists like, Ron Isley, Donny Hathaway, Luther Van dross, Prince and James Brown.
Bailey had his first major break when Rick James sampled his track ‘Part time Lover’ for the sound track of the movie Colors, and since then has been busting up the dance charts in the UK, as well as winning awards along the way.
P Bailey isn’t the type of artist you expect to retreat for long stretches. Between releasing and publishing solo music, lending vocals to chart-climbing EDM productions, and penning R&B hits, he’s always seemed, if not directly in the spotlight, then directly adjacent to it. Fresh off a licensing and distribution deal with Sound Republica for Korean territories, P Bailey is working towards an October release for his upcoming album.
In the meantime his single “Change The World”, taken off the aforementioned album, does what it says on the title, as P Bailey treats us to song that transports the listener back to a time when music fed the soul and the mind. His lush blend of mid-tempo chill R&B and Soul, with a conscious narrative will definitely keep him in the public eye.
I’m a sucker for good soul-searching song; a well-executed lyric sheet, and a layered production that builds excitement, and “Change The World” nails it. Hopefully the supple vocal runs, the soaring falsetto hooks, and the sheer overall triumph of the track is a good indication of what we can expect from the upcoming album release.
P Bailey may try to capture the acclaim of this, and his former projects, or he may opt to veer in a totally new direction entirely. As it stands, we’re about to find out. Right now, on “Change The World”, the Canadian crooner delights us with his usual vocal flamboyance and nostalgic production, featuring shimmering keys, synth-horns, and rumbling basslines.
The track is a true example of that retro R&B-Soul sound that creates a vibe fit for chilling with friends or pondering on alone. Only this time P Bailey is also launching a powerful message on the state of our current existence on this globe, and asks us to “Change The World”.
The juxtaposition of the mid-tempo, soulful beat and vocals, with the hard-hitting lyrics is brilliant. For many folks, R&B and Soul based music is about emotions: love and heartbreak are often the primary focuses of the genre. But P Bailey tweaks the formula to show us that the genre can apply itself to global issues with the same resounding impact. He may have crafted the perfect project for our socially troubled times.
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