Belgian songstress Selah Sue may look like a model with her golden nest of hair, but she has powerful pipes and true talent. Her self-titled debut offers her distinctive take on smooth soul laced with tropical reggae beats; the album is filled with reckless rapture and fiery attitude. “I’m feeling real passionate,” Sue howls in “This World,” an explosive ballad that might inspire you to caress a glass of Jamaican rum. “Raggamuffin” is a sweet and spicy jam with delicate guitar plucks and lush, brassy vocals that expose the harsh realities of life. It’s intimate and bare bones, as if Sue were letting us skim through her diary. Retro throwback “Please,” featuring Cee Lo Green, is delicious doo-wop which grabs your attention like a persistent lover. Selah Sue isn’t afraid to confess her innermost thoughts, and you’ll want to stop and listen.
Check out Sue’s website at selahsue.com.
By Stephanie Nolasco
This review appears in the Aug/Sept 2012 of BUST Magazine with cover girl Tavi Gevinson. Subscribe now.
