Finally some good news for us Leona lovers! First up, she will finally release another single from the underused (single-wise) and now classic (for me) album that is “Spirit”. With fantastic, catchy and most importantly radio-friendly tracks like “Take A Bow” and “The Best You Never Had” that are ju
st dying to be released, I’m surprised she’s gone with one of the two new tracks from the US release “Forgive Me”. However, after hearing some more exciting news that she is set to re-release the album for Christmas both her and in the US with new tracks (yes!!!) I’m not so surprised as this will push us UK stans to go out and purchase yet another version of the album (embarassingly, I have the US and UK versions now) to get this and the bonus tracks.
Above is the great video for the Akon-produced, Claude Kelly-composed new single, which just came out of nowhere and as usual Leona looks stunning. I love it when she’s made up professionally and they do her hair and makeup all diva-ish, she looks fierce! What I particularly like about this video is its a more upbeat song so she gets to do a little bit of dancing ,where although she definitely worked it in the first “Bleeding Love” video, she was rather restricted by the songs slower tempo. I would have liked to see a bit more of a dance routine but hey, there’s plenty more to come from her I hope!
The third bout of good news is that a new song from my girl also leaked today. Apparently recorded for the US re-release or for the Christmas release on both sides, the Cassidy-featured “Nowhere Left To Go” is let me first say, banging. Said to be produced by hitmakers Stargate, the production, with its pumping beat, echoing synths and that twinkling percussion is something special and definitely something different for Leona’s usually selected tracks. She’s really stepped fullfront into the urban genre with this one after flirting with it on her more Quiet Storm R&B debut and especially on the two US-added tracks. Her vocals as usual are on point, that goes without saying, the girl’s delivery is always flawless but I’m definitely liking the arrangement on this one too, whoever wrote it is definitely a talent, I especially liked the cleverly sung extended lyric “do we even have a connection besides our affection for an expression of love inside the bedroom”. The call-back-and-forth chorus with Cassidy is also fantastic and just adds to the tracks gritty urban ballad feel. This track really takes me back to the best of her Pre-“Spirit” material like “It’s All For You” and “Breathe”. Please, if the re-release can have more diversity like this and the unreleased Neo-Soul duet with Alonzo “Novel” Stevenson “Myself” I would be forever grateful Leona! I am so amped for this re-release now, which I didn’t think would be possible after the boring (hardly any bonus material) recent attempts by Rihanna and Chris Brown and I hope we get a few more tracks to make buying my third copy of the album worthwhile! 😉
DiscographyOnline 