Single Review: Kike - Queen

22-year-old up-and-coming artist Kiké has kicked the year off with a song that has the perfect balance of beautiful sounds and a powerful message. The Mancunian’s newest single ‘Queen’ seeks to uplift and empower women.

The track begins with reverb-heavy vocals sailing over smooth, neo-soul chords, with the track instantly exuding the feeling of modern RnB. When the typical RnB style drum beat drops us into the first verse, Kiké’s vocals become more rhythmic and once the groove sets in, Kiké begins to reach out into the extent of her sensational vocal range.

With a harmonised riff drawing inspiration from artists like Jill Scott, the chorus takes this track to a new level. The ascending, urgent nature of the riff (“yeah, yeah, yeah”) compliments the drifting, wave-like, descending lines of the main melody. There is also a sense of spirituality underlying this record, in lines such as “focusing on me, myself, and God”, alluding to Kiké’s own Christian faith.

The structure of the track flows smoothly and seamlessly, demonstrating Kiké’s sophisticated songwriting ability. Kiké has built a signature sound that blends old-school soul with modern RnB, making her one to watch out for in the future of the Northern music scene.

A bold, enlivening statement expressed through a captivating soundscape and powerful video, produced by an extremely talented young artist; this single is not one to be missed.

Words: Alice Hill