Har’Monique – “Oh Lawd”
Har’Monique – “Oh Lawd” – Single Review
Alright…so…we’re not exactly talking about apples and oranges here, but this is pretty close to that.
Would I have thought that the same artist that dropped the sensational R&B single “One In A Million” back at the end of July would have returned with a colorful set of island vibes on “Oh Lawd” to follow that up? No! That was not on my bingo card this year, as they say. It’s definitely a major switch in the direction of the music in between her last single and this one here – the question is, will it work out?
I will be as real with ya as I always am. We all have our own individual styles and sounds that we tend to gravitate towards, and even though “One In A Million” was fairly outside of what I’d normally listen to on a personal level, I felt like Har’Monique put in such an impressive performance that it would win over just about anyone out there listening. I actually like quite a bit of R&B when it comes right down to it, even though it’s not a genre that I usually seek out. What I do like, more than any particular style of music, is hearing the sound of an artist or band own their moment, which is why that single made such an impact not just on myself, but on tens of thousands of listeners all over the map within a month’s time. You listen to “One In A Million” & you know you’ve got a star in the making that has the X-factor.
A couple things can be true, objectively speaking. The first is that this style of Pop/Reggae sound is even further outside of the sphere of stuff I’d normally be listening to on my own, probably to the point where I don’t get a whole lot of exposure to it because it’s not a style that typically resonates with me all that much. That’s not me telling you not to listen – we all like what we like and we love what we love – it’s as simple as that to me. If what you hear on “Oh Lawd” is your jam, you’ll find me doing nothing other than recommending that you turn it on UP as loud as your speakers will go and have yourself a great time – there are no judgments here, only opinions. Here’s proof that I’m still as objective as ever in a situation like this…I’d be inclined to believe that a song like “Oh Lawd” will likely go on to become a bigger hit than “One In A Million” was with listeners out there. You see folks? I don’t need to fall in love with a song to get to the heart of the matter – “Oh Lawd” is the kind of track that not only has a full dose of single-worthy sound, but it’s got a very relevant vibe that you can find all throughout the scene right now. Obviously there’s some risk in that regard in the sense that the more you end up sounding like what’s already out there, the harder it becomes to establish your own identity and whatnot, but the flipside of that coin is pretty apparent – people are already digging music like this, so Har’Monique should have no problem sliding right onto thousands of playlists that are looking for more of it. That’s a good thing, clearly, and even better if they remember the name responsible for what they’re enjoying.
That’s not so easy when you’re entering the popular sound of right here & now. The more artists and bands that are out there with a similar style means it’s harder to create that necessary separation to create the identity you need, even while the hit counts and streams continually go up. What’s really important to remember, especially when you’re first starting out, is that it’s not impossible to beat the odds in a situation like this – it’s just harder to do, that’s all. So you gotta go about things the right way and do what you can to stand out, and I’d argue that’s what still has me believing in someone like Har’Monique based on the performance she puts into “Oh Lawd.” She’s vibrant, she’s lively, she’s fresh – and she’s professional…all of these things are great attributes of course, and when you couple that with her resounding confidence & exotic beauty, honestly, she’s got all the right pieces of the puzzle to create a clear picture of what her success will look like over the course of her career. Do I personally like “Oh Lawd” as much as I liked “One In A Million?” No – but my personal taste isn’t what you’re looking to know about – you wanna know if there are reasons YOU should check out Har’Monique’s new single, and there are tons of them to be found. You’ve got the fact that there’s really nothing you can fault a song like “Oh Lawd” for in terms of its execution…the mix is great, the star of the show remains the star of the show, and there are plenty of bright & sunny hooks for you to latch onto. There’s a noticeably upbeat & catchy vibe to this spirited take on Pop/Reggae, and I’m sure I don’t need to be the person to tell ya that this single possesses a sound & style you can find in just about every club you’ll ever go to.
All of this stuff is positive. Har’Monique’s energy is excellent, she sings it flawlessly, and the spark you wanna find in a single is there in what you hear in the song itself, along with what you see in the video too – it’s got the right balance, and an all-around effort like this is bound to attract its fair share of the attention out there on the internet. With regards to how tough it can be to stand out from the rest of the crowd, and how I mentioned it’s hard to do but not impossible – listen closely to the vocals from Har’Monique and you’ll understand why she’s still got me believing in her. You hear that playful squeak in her voice as she sings? That’s completely intentional, and it pretty much seals the deal here – like…you might not even realize it’s there at first, but it’s such a strong contribution to the reasons WHY a track like “Oh Lawd” is as FUN as it is to listen to. It’s actually brilliantly subtle, not overused at all, and definitely something you can still hear that is identifiable to her as an artist when singing this song. It might not be a card she can play every single time she puts out new music, but here on “Oh Lawd,” it was an extraordinarily smart call, highlights both her technique and personality, and above all things, like I mentioned before, it’s a very fun element of her vocals that helps to brighten up and elevate the entire track. “Oh Lawd” will put ya in a great mood just to hear it, even if it’s outside your normal diet like I would consider it to be mine. Har’Monique handles her business like a professional, and she’s making the right moves with her music career…it’ll all add up and continue to pay off in the long run.
Find out more about Har’Monique from her page at Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/har_monique23
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