I've always been partial to female artists.
Regardless of the genre, they generally give more heart and soul to the music. In the urban realm, women certainly lead the pack with fearless music that smartly synthesizes various influences, creating a sound that's fresh and distinct. Erykah Badu immediately comes to mind. Her latest CD, New Amerykah: Part 1 (4th World War), is a murky, politically charged effort that brilliantly turns hip-hop and modern soul inside out.
On the playlist this week, we check out three ambitious female newcomers - Santogold, Adama and Esperanza Spalding - who strive to dissolve style barriers.
Santogold, self-titled: This Philly native, born Santi White, worked a 9-to-5 job for a while as an artist and repertoire rep at Epic Records. But she couldn't resist her muse. So she left that gig to write and produce How I Do, the overlooked, category-defying 2000 debut by alt-pop singer Res, White's childhood friend. After that, the singer-songwriter formed Santogold.
Like Sade and Cat Power, Santogold is a band directed by the vision of its female focal point. And White's direction is all over the place on the self-titled debut. Though rooted in '80s punk and new wave, the kaleidoscopic album often shifts tones and textures that borrow from reggae, electronica and hip-hop.
The musical mutations - in which White's metallic voice is sometimes cleverly manipulated like another instrument - are mostly intriguing, if a bit noisy. With dissonant concoctions like "Creator," she is sure to draw comparisons to MIA. "I'm a Lady," a fine, swaggering '80s-rock tune Debbie Harry could have recorded, is probably the most straightforward number on the 12-song album. Elsewhere, White infuses punk with artful, rainbow-splattered touches.
Adama, Delicate Dragon: Born to a Cornish father and a Nigerian mother, Adama grew up on the rough outskirts of London. As a child, she gravitated toward music and martial arts. While in high school, she became the kung-fu champion of the U.K. and represented her country in a competition in Hong Kong.
