The current population of electronic dance music is astounding. Although the popular Pop sound has been around for some time now, everyone has recently been jumping to the upbeat, in your face, thumping tracks of the likes of Calvin Harris, David Guetta, RedOne and Avicci. But there are a breed of artists who are fusing their influence of Soul, Hip-Hop, and R&B into EDM to great effect. Music genres are becoming less and less easy to define, but that could be a good thing. Now fans of Pop, Rap, R&B, and even Jazz are being exposed to electronic music through these artists.
Singer/Songwriter Demi Grace is one of those artists. The NYC based artist infuses electronic dance music with Soul, Afrobeat, Pop and Reggae to cater to assorted listeners. Demi is no stranger to the enterainment industry, having started out as an actor and model. She has appeared on shows such as WeTV’s LA Hair and VHI’s Beverley Hill’s Fabulous. She’s also models for Devezin Cosmetics and M.A.C. She has since started to pursue a solo career as a Pop recording artist. Her first single “I Want You” achieved massive success and radio airplay in Brazil and Mexico among other regions, and now she releases her debut EP I Am Fearless.
The EP jumps right into the evolving sound I talk about in the introduction, with its fast and enticing beat. Demi’s voice gives the danceable song a soulful sound. Usually songs like this just make you want to get up and and dance, but there is a message here she wants to portray. It’s refreshing to see she doesn’t just want to make music for people to move to, but also music they can feel. “We Are Not Alone” and “Go! Live It Up” are both examples of the optimistic message she is relaying to listeners on the EP.
“We Are Not Alone”:
“Bad Girl” is more stripped from the energetic tunes on the EP, with Demi putting her own spin on the very popular Wale and Tiara Thomas joint “Bad”. All the girls were singing the song last summer claiming to be bad girls who never made love, when most of you feel the same way Demi sings in her version. What’s to like about the song is its truthful lyrics. Don’t get me wrong, I love Wale’s song, but after it dropped there were a lot of girls fronting. Demi’s “Bad Girl” tells it how it really is. She sings about the insecurities girls feel when dealing with a not so good fella. The guitar in the backdrop cruises throughout the song, it’s the sound of it that pulls you in at first. But Demi’s powerful vocals keep you there.
“Bad Girl”:
“Fire It Up” is one of the stronger songs on the EP. It’s one of those songs you can’t help but dance to. You know the energetic, pulsating beat that makes you want to jump. The sound is a bit of everything, it goes from pulsating drums, hypnotic electronic echoes, and a marching bass. I like that the song isn’t exhaustive, as Demi slows it down for her verses. The beauty of the track is the switch from Demi’s pulsing vocals in the chorus to a more commanding croon when she sings the verses. It’s not overwhelming or exhaustive, and the verses give us the chance to listen and enjoy her vocals.
“Fire It Up”:
“Watch Me” grabs a more Reggae and Afrobeats sound from the beat to Demi’s voice, and Demi’s versatility is once again display here, with her accent changes not only enhancing but supporting the feel of the track. It’s energetic, and fuses Afrobeats and electronic thuds that make you want to do as she says, as she sings “make you want to whine”.
With as much Soul, R&B and Funk as there are electronic dance influences on this record, Demi Grace’s I Am Fearless EP is a great listen. I’m not a big fan of EDM but Demi’s powerhouse vocals on this EP pushed me closer to liking the sound. What’s not to be lost in the energetic music is the message she wants to give. Her positive vibes are telling us to not be afraid and live our lives to the fullest. But do it with a fist pump. The I Am Fearless EP from Demi Grace is to be released on June 6, 2014.
Keep Tabs on Demi Grace: Facebook // Twitter // Website
Words by Chenae Rodrigues // Edited by Ayo Adepoju
