Serena Isioma Is Crafting a Vibe All Her Own
Just last year "Mystery Boy" dropped seemingly out of nowhere, and with it, the world was graced by the first track from young Serena Isioma. Pairing a wistful, familiar production acumen with her silky timeless vocals, the lyrics take off to tell a story of an unknown male in her life... who creates a slow burn in her heart. The debut track set a calm tone for the songstress, which has since, quickly heated up.
The 19-year-old artist claims her Chicago roots and Nigerian-American heritage, expressing their influence on her alternative R&B sound. Our editor hears hints of Willow, while I am faintly reminded of the sensual power of Kali Uchis in some tracks. We see Isioma finding her lane sonically as her current tracks range from sauntering, melodic songs about having a crush to playful, upbeat cuts like "Cookout," which appears on her most recent body of work.
The Sensitive EP sees Isioma delivering a standout debut project that is a testament to her impressive range. The project is already seeing playlist love from the likes of New Music Friday, Anti Pop, Pollen, and we're sure there will be more in the time to follow.
As a quick track-by-track, mood-by-mood breakdown, from top to bottom we have:
"Sensitive:" A vibey song that gets your head swaying from side to side, and calls out men for being sensitive.
"Valentina:" Which slows the tempo down and shows off Serena's buttery vocals.
"Cookout:" Reminiscent of '70s music with the chords, yet a little more aggressive with the story.
"Move:" Dives straight into her hip-hop space with the beat, feature, and the laidback lyricism.
"Hard:" My personal favorite, is a more hypnotic track. Certainly hitting those Kali Uchis vibes, and drawing you in as a whole, the sonic progression on this one is superb.
It would be an understatement to say we are impressed with Isioma, and that we are beyond excited to see where she goes from here.
Listen to Sensitive below:
