KIKI / Kiana Ledé / April 2, 2020
- Joshua Yoo
- Apr 28, 2020
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 13, 2020
Starting from posting song mashups on YouTube a couple years ago, Kiana Ledé has come a long way to reach her commercial debut. A handful of singles and EPs have seen her struggling to find her sound, but on this debut album, she finally finds her channel in the modern R&B world. Vocals have always been the strongest aspect of Kiana’s music, and this album isn’t any different. Her voice throughout the album is strong, smooth, and emotional, playing well to the strengths of the genre; she meshes well with classic R&B instrumentals (“Cancelled.”) and brings emotional weight to the ballads (“Plenty More.”). The production is polished and dynamic, with regular use of electric guitar backing, groovy percussion, and even electric organ. Kiana also has a keen ear for fun and unique samples, such as the Brandy sample used on “Honest.” The album features some of the biggest names from R&B features from some of R&B’s biggest names, and each feature meshes really well with the tone of the album, whether it’s 6LACK on the low-key “Second Chances.” or Lucky Daye on the ballad “Forfeit.” The only real weak point is the songwriting, which often lacks creativity and nuance. This results in many lyrically repetitive verses and choruses throughout many songs on the track list. Overall, “KIKI” places itself among one of the current top female R&B albums, projecting Kiana into the likes of SZA or Ari Lennox. It not only signifies the amount of growth that she’s made, but also the potential her artistry has for the future.
Best Track(s): Honest., Plenty More., Forfeit., Cancelled., Good Girl.
Lowlight(s): No Takebacks.
SCORE: 8/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKBHKkAfly0
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