Har’Monique – “One In A Million”

Har’Monique – “One In A Million” – Single Review

Hell yeah, I’m into it.

It’s interesting to look at certain genres and how they’ve evolved over time.  When it comes to R&B, I suppose you could say that it started out fairly dominated by the male side of the industry, which is true of most genres if you’re tracing the history back to its roots, especially when you factor in all the societal constraints that held women back at the start.  Then you end up in this sweet spot where you get the emergence of artists like Franklin, Khan, Knight, Ross, LaBelle…the list could certainly go on – but this spot in R&B’s history spanned from like, the late 60s to late 80s, and turned every one of those names into royalty that took the whole genre to supreme heights that no man was able to compete with.  That being said, on their side of the fence, sure they were able to sing about love and whatnot – but not with the vivid imagery and steaminess that they should have been able to.  Not their fault – you can fully blame the patriarchy for that…males have always had the freedom to sing about whatever the heck they want with zero consequences, while the real queens of R&B/Pop had no choice but to be much more conscious of what they were saying.  They couldn’t go full Teddy Pendergrass.  Heck, even momentary stars like Johnny Gill were able to get in explicit material long before it was deemed acceptable for the ladies.  Eventually you get your Houston, Braxton…artists like that who would go a long way to opening the door to sensuality as an art form, and shatter the glass ceiling for the next generation to follow.  You end up with Aaliyah…Rihanna…Beyoncé…SZA…titans of the industry that have no problem celebrating their sexuality and embracing that part of their personality, recognizing that it’s part of their greatness.  I like to think we’re living in a world where anyone can sing about anything they want to now…more or less – I’d readily acknowledge there is still much work to be done on behalf of equality, but we’re getting there…at the very least, freedom of expression is in a better place than it’s been in, historically speaking.

All these names have played a role in creating the environment that we’re living in now, where female empowerment has become a rightful force to be reckoned with in the music industry.  You don’t need me to mansplain that to ya – just have a listen to what’s at the tops of charts and playlists out there, and believe me, you’ll find a ton of music that’ll have the ladies speaking loud & proud on their own behalf.  You can add Har’Monique to the legacy that’s growing exponentially by the day – this artist based outta Brooklyn, New York, brings smoldering sensuality to the microphone with complete skill and confidence combined.  As I was listening to her new single “One In A Million,” I couldn’t help but think about how I was hearing exactly that – Har’Monique has got that “One In A Million” potential that could easily see her go the distance with her career as an artist.  If there’s something to complain about in this single, it has flown well over my head and completely escaped my ears – personally, all I’m hearing is green lights ahead and the kind of personality/X-factor talent that could bring Har’Monique straight to the very top.

The point I was making in the introduction is that it’s not so much a situation of her standing on the shoulders of giants that have come before her, so much as it is like she’s taken the baton and running with what was started long ago.  The next exciting phase of the genre’s evolution…that kind of thing.  I mean, look – they say that more than half of the key to making it in the music business is all about timing…and I don’t think anyone could listen to “One In A Million” without recognizing that the time is truly RIGHT NOW for a song like this.  Har’Monique should be able to slide right onto a ton of playlists out there with “One In A Million” – this is the kind of empowered anthem that people really wanna hear and have as part of their own personal soundtrack.  She sings it with precision-perfect professionalism, and perhaps most importantly, she doesn’t hold back when it comes to the performance she puts in.  Har’Monique knew exactly how to go about harnessing the power of her sexuality and found the right angle to approach “One In A Million” with that makes it every bit as believable as it is relevant to what’s happening in the music scene currently.  Her confidence is spectacular to listen to – I loved the way she started singing “One In A Million,” and I loved that she shows us different gears as she raises the stakes along the way.  The sound of the song itself is fantastic, and its gentle-but-bold beat & vibe made for the perfect setting for a voice as versatile and dynamic as Har’Monique’s is.  What impressed me perhaps more than anything else though, was just how much she saw this moment for what it is, and capitalized on it.  “It’s about dominance in the bedroom,” she says, before going on to say that it’s “why I decided to ride the beat the way I did.”  I couldn’t have said it any better than that…that’s really what you’re hearing when you listen to “One In A Million” – you’re listening to Har’Monique flowing flawlessly along with the music, gliding on the surface of the sound in complete control.  If there was something she could have done better from the concept to the execution, you’ll have to tell me what that is…because as far as my ears are concerned, she knocked this whole single straight outta the park into next Tuesday.

There are lots of reasons a song like this will go on to be such a pivotal point in Har’Monique’s career when she looks back on it years down the road.  It’s like the perfect storm of everything going right if I’m being honest with ya.  It brilliantly serves as the intended reintroduction to her music after having spent a decade putting her time into the trenches of the scene.  She’s nailed the imagery in the lyricism, and then found the right energy to pair with it in the way she sang and performed “One In A Million.”  She ended up working with an audio engineer in Su Bailey from The Luxor Studios who obviously understood the exact type of sound and vibe that Har’Monique was going for, and together they nailed it, 100%.  So you get what I’m sayin’ here y’all…it’s not just about the fact that “One In A Million” sounds as sensually sensational as it does…it’s about the fact that the attention to detail is as impeccable as it is.  Nothing has been overlooked here, and as a result, Har’Monique sounds like every bit of the star that she is now, and will go on to be in the future.  I’m tellin’ ya…there’s something special about her…I really feel like the skillset and sound she shows us in this single illuminates the pathway forward for her from here – she’s got the true confidence, mindset, and talent it takes to go as far as she wants to with her music.

Find out more about Har’Monique at Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/har_monique23

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