Yona Marie – “My Soulful Baby”
Yona Marie – “My Soulful Baby” – Single Review
Certainly no objections to this silky smooth Neo-Soul track from singer/songwriter Yona Marie – she’s got a great voice and a charming personality that shines brightly throughout her latest single “My Soulful Baby.” Something about the way she sings…very inviting and quickly endearing to listen to; it’s always nice to naturally want to be on an artist’s side rather than trying to find a way in to something that’s tougher to like. Yona’s got the solid advantage of the sweet & sincere sound of her songwriting, vocals, & style ready to pull you in at every second on “My Soulful Baby” – your ears will readily accept.
Aka Rachel Marie – she’s released a record called Reminiscent in the past. From the looks of things online, she’s continued to put music out there into the world, but admittedly, maybe less frequently than she’d like to be doing. Reading the story on Reminiscent and the challenges she faced in the breaks between writing sessions & music releases, it’s safe to say that she’s definitely got the desire to pursue a career in music, but likely, as many of us experience, can be tough to get to with all that life-stuff happening around us all the time. So let’s hope that her new single “My Soulful Baby” – which was released about a week ago – is the start of Yona coming back to the mic where she clearly belongs.
Because I’ll say this – there’s a lot that’s really going right with this new single…and music is definitely what she should be doing, full-time. I think she’s still got even more to give when it comes right down to it – but that requires that ability to dedicate even more time than she might currently have right now. Depending on just how much of that life-stuff is getting in the way, the longer it might take to get to that next breakthrough she’s looking to have. Just a few spots on “My Soulful Baby” that seemed to wander a bit in their strength of tone or focus…momentary at best, we’re talking minimal aspects of the song that most people wouldn’t even notice…but overall, there’s still room for her to grow and expand as an artist & singer. As I always say, there ain’t nothing wrong with that – in my world, that’s a good thing.
The most important thing is that the building blocks are there…that the ideas are present…that the skill & talent have the potential to continually raise the stakes & standards as an artist/band heads towards the success they’re looking for with their sound & songs. Yona, without question, has all the right tools to succeed – and as a first impression for someone like me that’s never heard her music before, the sound of her new single “My Soulful Baby” definitely has me interested in just how much she’s capable of. Because I hear the technique, I hear the melody, I hear the skill, I hear some tremendous tones; I hear a little bit of power traded in for some stylistic choices in how she approaches a few moments, but easily through the most-part of “My Soulful Baby,” she is remarkably on-point and completely stunning. And not to go against my own advice too much…but I’d also argue that she’s probably played this right; any further smoothing-out of this song might have assaulted just how sincere, honest, and humble she sounds…those couple moments where you might want a bit more oomph from Yona also equally display her ability to specifically choose the energy & vibe she wants to sing with, and there’s value in that too.
Ultimately, I think that Yona just needs to keep on doing what she’s doing and do a whole lot more of it whenever she can – because I do really like what I’m hearing from her on “My Soulful Baby.” Don’t get it twisted y’all…I’m on her side here…if it sounds like I’m not, it’s simply only because I’m greedy and I know she’s still got more to give as an artist…but I’m also a patient man. An artist like Yona Marie will continue to get better & better from year to year like a fine wine does – and everything about this smooth & subtle groove makes me very excited about the potential she’s got for the future to come. “My Soulful Baby” casts her in a beautiful light and soulful sound already, one that’s sure to connect to a lot of listening ears, hearts, & minds out there…and I have a feeling that Yona’s music is still going to find a way to continually get better from here. She’s definitely got the talent & voice to suit this chilled-out love-song and “My Soulful Baby” is an undisputable pleasure to listen to…but there’s just something about Yona’s performance & sound that seems to tell me that her best years are right around the corner. As far as this single is concerned, it does exactly what a good single should – I want to hear more from her and I’d listen to whatever comes next without hesitation.
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