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Every year in music, we are treated to a large number internet sensations, usually via social media, that seem to take off overnight and become household names. Supply and demanded stay relevant in this current culture often proves too much for artists who may not be as talented or as savvy as others. This rings especially tripe in the ever revolving world of female R&B. In a genre that’s recently been rejuvenated with countless hits by the likes of Jhenè Aiko, Nao, Syd, SZA, Ella Mai, Sabrina Claudio Tink, Jamila Woods, H.E.R. and Teyana Taylor. These women have set the R&B market up for a very strong future as female and male fans anxiously wait for their album releases just like any other album. It’s a potential golden era for music if artists and consumers play their roles accordingly. There is a very strong chance that group will be including a new member very soon. iyla (@iylablue) is a young singer whose music sounds like she’s been around for ages before her time. Currently on a major high from the sudden viral success of her hit single Juice, iyla is one of the most amazing talked about commodities in R&B today. When you play her music, you clearly see why that is and also wonder how she didn’t become a star from her first day in the game. In 2018, iyla released a 3T Entertainment label EP titled War + Raindrops. While only being 5 songs and a mere 15 minutes in running time, she somehow managed to deliver an impact that many fully length albums fail to achieve in this day in age.
As the opening track Flowers sets the tone and introduces iyla’s unique aesthetic, the bouncy and rich production projects a love song, but the lyrics do anything but that. She sings of a relationship that’s ran its course and that can’t be simply repaired, which is only elevated by her strong vocals. It’s a song that reflects the love life of many young people, admitting when its time to take time away to figure out the next step.
Shampoo follows the opening track and transitions from admission to harsh reaction. Scorned and mistreated by a love interest, iyla boldly proclaim that her memory will be impossible to forget as she moves on and the other person regrets it. The production once again stands out, giving off the feel of a positive long song instead of a breakup track. It’s a contrast that only works with a great voice behind it, and iyla delivers on it with ease.
The aforementioned hit single Juice is not only a transition from the negative feelings of the first two tracks, it’s a song of promise and not knowing where life may take you. Randomly meeting or connecting with somebody unexpected, and then falling in lppove in with them sounds like a typical fairytale that’s too good to be true. The track is honest, with no promises of where things will go, but simply acknowledging what one wants and how much they care about the other person. The beat is infectious, the lyrics fun and free flowing, and the song is as catchy as it gets in music today; an undeniable hit from an artist that seems capable of many more.
The fourth track California is the next step in the storybook flow of the album. After heartbreak, breakup and a new beginning, comes the moment of that breakthrough feeling of being in love again. Easily her most powerful track vocally on the EP, iyla let’s the listener know that range is no issue for her. The song is emotional and the joy of finding a love to believe in rings out loud passionately over a simple but strong piano sample. A standout track for sure, it helps to wrap up the EP well. The outro track Power (I) stands on its own as an assertive “F*ck You” to an old love, as she takes back control of her spirit, heart and focus. It’s a relatable track and it properly ties together the direction of what turns out to be a high quality EP.
2019 is already shaping up to be yet another impressive year for music as a whole, and it’s due in part to the new artists who are willing to take elements of their genre and add their own style and substance to it. This helps kee the music original and will always attract an audience if the artists is indeed talented enough. iyla, even with only a 15 minute EP, has displayed easy signs of turning an awesome moment into an exceptional career. If War + Raindrops is simply a starting point, then nothing but great things can be expected from this promising young talent. Top 5: 1. Juice 2. Flowers 3. California 4.Shampoo 5. Power (I)