It’s been four years since Jazmine Sullivan last graced the music scene with her R&B vocals and emotional ballads, but she’s back with the same theme this year.
In a recent interview with Billboard, Sullivan said, “I just felt like I had a story to share.” The album, “Reality Show,” certainly reflects that.
The first single, “Mascara,” is a personal power anthem for her. She prides herself in her physical traits and her high-profile lifestyle.
The album’s opening track “Dumb” features Meek Mill and has more hip hop undertones than the rest of the record, which contains heavy R&B, jazz and reggae influences.
Sullivan is no stranger to showcasing intimate details of her life and relationships through this genre, and the album’s title lends to the self-dramatization.
The roller coaster of emotions is most prevalent in the contrast between “Let It Burn” and “Forever Don’t Last.” In “Let It Burn” she chronicles what it’s like to truly fall in love and accept that feeling, whereas in “Forever Don’t Last” the powerful love that she’s experienced comes to an end and she reflects on the better times.
She also has uplifting songs like “If You Dare” that challenge you to live the way you want without worrying about.
“Why you only see in black and white? You should be living in color,” are the opening lyrics of the song.
The rest of the album continues in the same fashion, tackling subjects of heartbreak, self-acceptance and personal struggles.
It’s obvious Sullivan put a lot of work and detail into every song, making sure there was a clear message to her audience.
The record in its entirety is very well thought out given her extended absence from music.
Whether this marks her permanent return to producing records or not, the album should be moderately successful. Releasing it so early into the new year also gives it time to gain attention and incite feedback among listeners.
Compared to her music in previous years, Sullivan displays a new agenda for 2015 by reinventing her lyrical delivery while keeping her familiar sound.