Review: Jazmine Sullivan – Reality Show

Reality got to be too real for the R&B chanteuse Jazmine Sullivan, forcing her into a four-year career hiatus for some much needed tender, love and care. After tweeting in 2011 that she was officially taking a break from music to figure out who she is “without a mic, paper or pen”, Jazmine has returned with her third album, Reality Show. She cites a three-year abusive relationship as the catalyst behind her decision to step away from the industry spotlight, noting that it became too much for her to smile and perform in the midst of great personal pain. Feeling helpless and wanting to be lifted out of that space, the natural born singer and songwriter eventually found recuperation and restoration during her time off, and found the drive to devote her creative energy to this new project.

Jazmine Sullivan readily admits to binge-watching reality TV while on her break, and gained inspiration to write from the range of characters that are found on the different series. Without pointing to any one character, she mentions the album’s third single, “Mascara”, is a favorite from her new body of work. While the song features a laid back and chill vocal rendering by Sullivan, the lyrics highlight the perspectives of an industry chick and the rationale of the choices she makes in life. On the personal tip, second single “Forever Don’t Last” is said to be the only song on the album that references the turbulent relationship Jazmine had experienced. It was therapeutic for her to pour everything into the lyrics which are delivered with gut-wrenching grit over a stripped down, bluesy, acoustic guitar, bass, and drum track. “Let It Burn”, on the other hand, is a lighthearted mid-tempo love song that samples After 7’s 90s jam “Ready Or Not”. Both, “Stupid Girl” and “If You Dare”, have that London retro-pop vibe, the type of songs that Amy Winehouse or Adele would go platinum with. The latter adds a Bruno Mars “Treasure / Locked Out Of Heaven” feel in the vocal arrangement that certainly benefits its pop sensibility, and readily lends itself to a great club mix. There are times when songs feel over-produced to a distracting fault, with the beats and vocals layered to no end, namely lead single “Dumb” featuring Meek Mill and “Veins”.

The album does well to add songs like “Masterpiece (Mona Lisa)” an arrangement that is truly a work of art. One thing Jazmine Sullivan points out is that she likes to entertain different genres and styles of music, and she wins with this one, both lyrically and musically. It’s a commanding, soft rock banger that grows with just the right amount of reserved intensity before ending as a simple piano-accompanied ballad. Reality Show proves to be about different aspects of life, not just what she is personally going through. It’s an ode to “#HoodLove” and gold digging video chicks just as much as it is about finding the beauty in oneself. Everything she’s seen, heard, or personally experienced in her life up to this point is genuinely reflected in the stories she tells on the album. So, in 2015, the sultry songstress is definitely ready to star in her own Reality Show.

Written by Mai Perkins

Originally from Los Angeles, Mai Perkins is living a genuine bona fide love affair with NYC and the music that keeps its spirit moving. While spending the majority of the last decade in Brooklyn, many of her adventures around the globe are documented on her blog: Mai On The Move! www.MaiOnTheMove.com

Author’s rating for Reality Show

Pop Magazine’s official rating for Reality Show

Rating key
MASTERPIECE a must-have
SUPERB for heavy rotation
EXCELLENT a great achievement
VERY GOOD a respectable result
GOOD worth checking out
FAIR an average outcome
WEAK not convincing stuff
BAD an underwhelming effort
VERY BAD quite a waste
FAIL a total failure