Even as she continues to hold rank as a leading background vocalist to some of today’s biggest musical stars, singer-songwriter Norelle has been forging her own path as a solo artist for nearly a decade. She has traveled and performed with artists such as Rihanna, Kanye West, Estelle, and Demi Lovato (just to name a few), and has been featured on Anderson.Pakk‘s last two solo albums. But even with a resume as impressive as that, what makes Norelle such a notable artist is her exquisitely sweet songwriting and dynamic vocal performances. And with her newly released EP A Story About Love, the Cleveland, OH native has taken a giant step towards taking her place amongst the big hitters of  contemporary R&B.

Opening number “Reset (Introspection)” lives up to its title. The intro-like number feels like a morning affirmation or prayer and helps to cleanse the palette with its symphonic feel. Norelle resists any urge to dive into weighty musings or cryptic language. Instead, her words roll out effortlessly as she sings about survival and perseverance with lines like “I went too long/ Searching for love/ So that I could feel alive”. On the follow-up number “A Letter To My Younger Self (Self Love)“ she writes about the importance of protecting your heart when it comes to falling in love, but with the traces of heartbreaks grafted to her words. She conveys a solemn but ultimately encouraging demeanor – only allowing a crack in her emotional armor to show when she advises her younger self to not “…take shit from anybody”. A well-layered acapella (at least i THINK it’s acapella) piece called “Is It Over? (Boundaries)” follows next and sets Norelle in the role of a woman drawing a line in the sand in regards to what feels like a rocky relationship. Listening to this song is like peeking in on someone’s thoughts right after an argument. Everything feels ominously lucid even as thoughts and emotions blend into one another. And every time that I replayed this song, I kept imagining my wife staring daggers at me during that uncomfortable quiet that fills the house after a really heated argument. As the song draws to a close, you really get a sense of just how rich Norelle‘s voice is as her adlibs stir your spirit.

Admittedly, it took me more than a few listens for me to fully appreciate the track “Life is But A Dream (Accountability)” – a soothing number that follows “Is It Over? (Boundaries)”. The song itself is really lovely. Its melody tiptoes into the spotlight with quivering synth notes and some honeyed vocals from Norelle. But I couldn’t help but feel like the song was building towards a big crescendo that never occurs. So while the song is very satisfying, its place in the sequence of A Story About Love feels slightly out-of-place. However, I’ll admit that my personal biases are coming into play here as my overexposure to the “build tension/release tension” flow of most albums has trained me to expect big, bold numbers after tender ballads.

The single “Back Into You (Triggers)” initially appears to continue down the album’s easing, symphonic-soul path but suddenly changes into a slinky-sexy number around the 30 second mark. The production is savory bedroom music and Norelle adds a breathiness to her performance that makes it especially alluring. At times you can almost feel her warm whispers gently easing into your ears. I believe this tune is the only instance on the EP where the singer-songwriter works with other lyricists. Setting that aside, the finished product feel thoroughly Norelle-ish and fits seamlessly into the overall vibe of the album. Basking in the afterglow of “Back Into You (Triggers)” is a classic R&B piece called “Deeper (Honesty)“. It starts with a Paisley Park-dipped drum-break ( respect to producer Dami “Mr Damention” Adeoye ) that is sure to kindle a welcomed sense of late 80’s/early 90’s nostalgia in even the most casual R&B fan. Norelle conveys so much love and affection throughout the song (especially the choruses) and proves herself to be a top-shelf writer and headliner on this soulful opus.

Closing track “Planted (Vulnerability)” starts with angelic harmonies and a music-box melody before melting into a bumpin’ late-night gem. The song’s overall energy is uplifting and dynamic – with beautiful sounds and voices swirling all around. And as if to hammer home the skills of his muse, producer Dami Adeoye ends the song by pausing his bubbling neo-soul arrangement and letting the layers of Norelle‘s stirring voice soak up the spotlight.

On A Story About Love Norelle engrosses the listener with work that is beautiful and often brilliant. Over the course of this 7-track project, she communicates emotions and creates moods with a natural ease. Similar to Marsha Ambrosius, she maintains a quiet grace that shines as brightly on ballads as it does on hip-hop leaning cuts. And just like Ambrosius, Norelle proves herself to be an amazing singer with an amazing pen-game who is ready to take her place amongst the topliners in R&B and pop-soul.

Overall Rating – 8/10 Excellent

This is an album that I will be telling all of my friends about. It is a set that I am hard-pressed to find anything to complain about beyond a few trivial nitpicks or annoyances.

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