4.5/5
By Rachel Dennehy
As Diamond Dodanda once said (or sang) “tell a friend to tell a friend, she’s back.” Leigh-Anne is back, and her return is one arrival. After officially debuting as a solo artist after spending an astonishing decade as a member of the global phenomenal girl group Little Mix, Leigh-Anne has finally begun her own solo career with the launches of two solo singles last year including the catchy “Don’t Say Love” and afro beats inspired “My Love” featuring the talented up and coming singer, Ayra Starr. These releases had her fans starving for more and it has become apparent that this was only the beginning for Leigh-Anne as her return to global stardom is imminent after the release of her debut body of work, an extended play entitled “No Hard Feelings” which highlights Leigh-Anne in all her excellence. This project exemplifies her hard work and artistic growth solidifying her new sound as a solo artist bringing a new sense of confidence radiating the young musician. After spending so long in a group setting, it can be daunting for any artist and it is easy for them to fall in the background as their best days fall behind them, however, this EP proves that this is not the case for Leigh-Anne as she is destined to make a name for herself as her musical journey is only getting started and big things are in her future.
The project serves as a stepping stone in Leigh-Anne’s musical journey as she chooses to slowly introduce the world to solo Leigh-Anne through the decision to release an extended play before officially releasing her debut album which is slated for a 2025 release by experimenting with a variety of styles, genres and, themes to make a project that is very Leigh-Anne at the end of the day differentiating between the work produced in Little Mix versus now that she has all the creative control. Leigh-Anne fully identifies and incorporates her culture and essence into her music as more evident than ever before in this solo project. No Hard Feelings captures her voice and honesty and cultivates a story showing the desire and need for Leigh-Anne to become a household name, clearly understanding that success is inevitable for the young rising star.
Stealin’ Love
“Stealin’ Love” serves as an eloquent choice to introduce this project, capturing the story in its essence documenting the feeling of giving all your love to somebody who only takes advantage of it, failing to reciprocate your efforts in return to you. The song serves as the beginning of this story that Leigh-Anne is working to tell with captivating lyrics “Who would do that twice? Tell you that I’m hurtin’, then you go and twist the knife” showing that no relationship is perfect including hers whilst it may look like a fairytale because of the glamourization of social media, she proves that relationships take a lot of work to get to where they want to be and hers was no different. This is one of the most addictive tracks off the extended play and a personal favourite of mine as an irresistible and smooth R&B track, Leigh-Anne will have you hooked singing these catchy lyrics instantly.
Forbidden Fruit
“Forbidden Fruit” is an addictive reggae and pop-inspired track embedded in saucy and sassy lyrics destined to become a fan favourite. The song tells the story of falling in love with someone when a situation is so wrong but if you do not follow your heart then you could lose the love of your life describing a lose-lose situation. The song describes being with someone in secret because of the circumstances that surround the relationship truly making it out to be a forbidden love. The production on this track combined with catchy lyrics makes it an instant standout song that is destined to create a vibe wherever this song is played.
OMG
OMG grabbed my attention immediately with its saucy hook and addictive flow. Whilst following the cohesive theme, as with the other tracks, its sound is unique and innovative yet flows in a cohesive manner making it an undeniable choice for the album. Leigh-Anne described this song as the “bad bitch anthem” from this body of work and understandably it is quite a sensual and empowering track that is destined to get everybody moving as the crowd dances to this song. Ahead of her debut headlining gig in London, this song is going to make a move and is destined to become one of the most memorable tracks from her discography.
Anticipate
Anticipate is an anthem for all those people in long distance relationships or similar scenarios as Leigh-Anne describes the feeling of wanting your lover close but they are so far apart and reminisces about their love together waiting for them to be reunited. This song is an instant hit and the runs on the chorus strike a chord and you will find yourself humming “I wanna kiss on you, love on you, touch on you” to yourself all day as with any of these addictive tracks. Anticipate serves as a grower but after a few listens it will have you naming this song as a personal favourite.
I’ll Still Be Here
The album concludes with the fan favourite that is “I’ll Still Be Here” which is a wholesome track that can wholeheartedly be applied to any form of relationship that promises that even through the tough times and the good times, your other half is going to hold strong and fight for what you have as it is worth everything even through the times when it would seem easier to just get up and leave, showing the power that is in strength and resistance highlighting that when you know your relationship is worth fighting for everything else seems insignificant.
Thus, this extended play showcases Leigh-Anne’s vocal capabilities and her strong lyricism through top production and vocal arrangements highlighting her star power and establishing a new audience for this new era. This highly rated extended play proves that we have a lot to look forward to in the coming years from Leigh-Anne as we await her highly anticipated debut album and seek to watch her rise in all her glory capturing her diverse style in which no two songs sound the same yet they manage to flow in a cohesive manner making this project just work. This chapter is only the beginning for her, and it is time that everybody wakes up and experiences the captivating stories that she must tell from her decade-long career and from her own personal life.
The only flaw with this extended play is how addictive the music is considering how short many of the songs are (however this makes good replay value) and fans would adore a ten-minute version of each of these irresistible tracks. Leigh-Anne has come true on a high note and without a doubt will have fans tuning in to each release that follows as she proves that her potential is incessantly growing.
“No Hard Feelings” by Leigh-Anne is out now!!