By Zandile Dlamini
In 2004, Estelle released her first album titled The 18th day. However, despite the publicity, the sales were lacklustre and the album stalled at number 40 on the UK Charts. This, at the time, seemed like the perfect opportunity for critics to shoot Estelle down and label her as a one-hit-wonder.
But despite all of the heavy tittle-tattle and hearsay thrown in her direction, four years later Estelle has returned, proving to everybody that her talent is too strong and her heart, too relentless to be shut down by pessimists.
Earlier this year she released her latest album titled Shine, and just shortly after its release, the glitzy song American Boy, featuring Kanye West, reached number one in the UK charts and took the rest of the world by storm. Estelle’s second album not only binds together a powerful medley of hip hop, soul and Reggae, making the content attention-grabbing and worthy of note, but has also had the privilege of being produced and shaped into an unmistakable masterpiece by great luminaries in the music industry such as John Legend, Wyclef Jean and will.i.am.
In the end though, it is Estelle’s unwavering and unmistakable talents that truly make the album stand out; her ability to sing and rap in her songs highlight her versatility.
Each track has its very own refreshing sound, which is why songs such as Magnificent and No Substitute Love, which carry elements of Dancehall, might just be the next songs to take over our clubs and infiltrate our homes.
But most of all, it seems as though this album has become Estelle’s personal way of letting critics’ and haters know that she has returned, but only this time, she’s not budging.
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