Rock Steady/Wanna Be Startin’ Something Single Review

Oooh girl! This is the epitome of every getting dressed up, dolled up, laced up, heeled up ‘get ready’ session with your gal pals before a huge night out of being fierce and fabulous. A chance meeting between the wondrous Janelle Monae and our very own versatile songstress extraordinaire Kimbra has lead to this most delightful and uplifting jazz and soul funk collab. Pumped full of energy; Monae kicks off the double-cover with Rock Steady; jazzily ad libbing, playing off Kimbra as their duo of voices trade line for line, each accented with unbridled enthusiasm.

A dip in the melody uncovers a sublime rendition of Wanna Be Startin’ Something, with the opportunity for even more camaraderie between Monae and Kimbra in their jibs of ‘girl, you’ve really started something’… by this stage, you’re really wishing you’d been invited along to the recording party that these two are so clearly having; skillful backed by a joyous melding of their existing band members into a warm splash of horns, brass and bass. Their lusciously raucous voices are so complimentary and most of all fun, fun, fun! Infectious smiles are guaranteed; and I now, like almost everyone else would LOVE to see them work their magic together on their The Golden Electric Tour stop in Auckland on May 24th at Vector Arena.