The seventh time works like a charm for Rihanna. Rihanna has brought out the biggest in demand producers, writers and artists to produce her new album “Unapologetic.” With names that boast the likes of Sia, Adele, David Guetta and Ne-Yo, this is Riri’s most musically diverse album.
Riri’s voice is mature and edgier than its ever been and she’s full of liberation on her seventh studio album “Unapologetic.” Having a rare talent to morph into a musical chameleon, she easily maneuvers through dance, r&b, hip-hop and emotionally-stimulating pop love songs to accommodate any buyer’s demands. Rihanna clearly shows why she’s major competition in the music business and why this is definitely one of her strongest albums to date.
In her latest effort, Rihanna is back with edge, swag, synthesizers, ballads and dub-step and she’s discussing everything from love, heartbreak, having money and being fresh off the runway. Rihanna is liberating herself, with no apologies and explanations. Rihanna is clearly ‘unapologetic’ with this album and has included her ex-boyfriend, Chris Brown, to co-duet on “Nobody’s Business” to the dismay of many. This may be her most controversial song, not because of lyrical content, but because of Brown’s feature on the track. This song takes us back to the ‘90s and is a mid-tempo dance track of Breezy and Rihanna singing to the world their love for one another. The track is inspired by Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Despite being “friends” both tease over the track that they want to be each other’s baby. “You’ll always be mine. Sing it to the world. Always be my boy. I’ll always be your girl,” sings Rihanna.
The David Guetta-produced “Right Now” track is a catchy eargasmic dance pumping club number. She uses her unique tone and edginess to tell her lover to not waste any time. Rihanna oozes sass and fierceness in this song as she sings, “Tomorrow we’re too far away. And we can’t get back yesterday. But we’re young right now. We got right now. So get up right now. All we got is right now.”
“Love Without Tragedy,” is a powerful breathtaking ballad, which is one of the strongest, if not the best track on the album. It’s so refreshing to see Riri leave her bad girl persona aside and showcase her vulnerable side to the world. She sings a confession of love gone wrong and heartbreak from a relationship gone sour. “Hearts racing out of control and you knew that I couldn’t let it go. You used to be this boy I love. And I used to be this girl of your dreams.” A mid-tempo pop ballad with an ‘80s synthesizer hypnotic beat, she sings “You took the best years of my life. I took the best years of your life.”
“What Now,” is another moving pop ballad that showcases Rihanna’s frustrations with love. In the end she repeats “I don’t know know where to go. I don’t know what to feel. I don’t know how to cry.”
Other notable tracks include “Stay” (featuring Mikky Ekko), “Diamonds,” and the swagtastic and fun hip-hop “money” number “Pour It Up.” Overall, her album is solid with different music genres for everyone to pick from.
Rihanna’s new album is available in stores now.
Rating 4 out of 5 stars.
