Yes, yes, I know. It's blasphemous. The next time I walk into a black gay club, I'm probably going to be bound, gagged, and thrown in front of a speeding bus. But upon listening to Solange Knowles' new album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, I find myself quite impressed.
It's a 60s and 70s inspired concept album bleeding with Doo-Wop harmonies, and boogie-woogie piano chords. As the title suggests, Solange is heavily influenced by old Motown girl groups such as the Supremes and the Marvellettes. Her music isn't as slick or as catchy as any of their tunes, but it's just as fun.
Now don't get me wrong. Before you flood my inbox with hate mail (The last time I addressed Beyonce I got some messages that made me afraid to leave the house.), I'm well aware that Little Knowles lacks the vocal prowess of her older sister. Solange, trying to belt out a power ballad like "Listen," would probably sound like a chorus of stray cats trying to scream while being strangled. But the thing is, if Solange were to tackle the cheesy, faux-empowerment tune, I'd believe it a lot more.
The reason I think she's better than her sister is that with this album, she comes across as genuine. I see her as a real artist, someone who's actually looking to make something credible rather than get a cheap hit (though considering she wrote Beyonce's "Get Me Bodied," she's obviously capable of coming up with such things).
With a name like hers, she could have easily gone after Timbaland, Danja, and the like. With enough promotion and payola she could've scored herself at least a top 10 hit, and probably gone gold within a few months. But she actually had an artistic vision, and she followed through. Recruiting producers like the Freemasons, Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley, and Mark Ronson, she went after people who she thought would get her vision and they weren't easily convinced. At first she wasn't even able to get them to call her back. Cee-Lo Green for instance, she had to hunt him down at a party and give him some of her music to listen to. Once he did, he signed on immediately. Her artistic vision follows through to her music videos which she directs herself, and are full of color and creativity.
Article comments
1 - fatu sankoh
you dont have to put the sister aganst eacher other i love beyonce i am her number fan bey love her sister very much she even told us fan to sporte salong and i did just that i went and bought her cd
2 - Jordan Richardson
Nah, sorry. I don't see it. This is no Dangerously in Love. Solange's voice isn't very strong and the music is largely uninteresting, whereas tracks like "Baby Boy" and "Crazy In Love" represent some of the best pure pop tracks in recent memory. Beyonce may not have been as effective with B'Day, but "Irreplaceable" is a hell of a song and she's got enough depth there to prove much more interesting than Solange.
And let's not even begin to get into Beyonce's work with Destiny's Child, as Solange's music just comes nowhere close to that.
Sorry, Chris. Solange just lacks the charisma, the distinct personality (she's sort of like an even more tepid Norah Jones at times), and the big ol' voice of her sister. Solange is not better than Beyonce. She's trying to hard to be Erykah Badu.
3 - Faris
So Solange is better because she has a different style?!!!
what the hell?!!
So this guy is saying that we should dumb R&B, POP and Soul music!
Beyonce has a different style to her sister ,, her voice is better ,, she was brought up idolising people such as M.Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Tina Turner. and other Greats and that's why she sings the songs that she sings.
this article is just nonesense!!!
4 - MEe
OK, an X-tina STAN that doesn't like Beyonce what else is new.lol How original of you Mr. Evans. lol
5 - JayKayBee
I agree with the article, Beyonce's music is the run of the mill pop muisc that everyones else is doing and has done a million times before her. I actually have taste enough to know Baby Boy and Naughty Girl by Beyonce are by no means DEEP and SUBSTANTIAL recordings. Those 2 songs are faceless pop songs anyone could have sung. Irreplacable sounds like Chris Brown's WITH YOU and has NE-YO's sound all over it. Solange on the other hand dared to be different. I actually never thought I would be feeling like this but I like Solange and love her album. Good Luck Solange!
6 - brendan
They're both ok
7 - fatu sankoh
i love both sister but i dont like to compair bey is one haleof talent i love them both gog bless them
8 - aj
like wat the hell is that music and look..the look is 200% beyonce and the moves are 300%...the music is revolting and out of date!
9 - LaylahKnight
These people dont get it...Solange is very unique... most people just like listening to the same ol' shit.....Solange ablum is very well written, and if your small minded and dont like the music, you probaby just dont understand the capacity of the lyrics.
Just because she not screaming for dear life, doesnt mean shes not a good singer... Janet jackson and Ciara doesnt have a strong voices either, so does that make her untalented???
10 - Jordan Richardson
Solange ablum is very well written, and if your small minded and dont like the music, you probaby just dont understand the capacity of the lyrics.
What if I absolutely understand the capacity of the lyrics and am not "small minded," but just don't like the music?
Just because she not screaming for dear life, doesnt mean shes not a good singer... Janet jackson and Ciara doesnt have a strong voices either, so does that make her untalented???
You're making two different arguments here. Good singers don't "scream for dear life." Beyonce doesn't do that (Christina Aguilera does, but that's not the issue here). And I'd argue that Janet Jackson isn't all that vocally talented, but that she is a great entertainer. There's a difference.
Beyonce is more vocally talented than Solange and is a much better entertainer. It's actually not a stylistic issue either, as I listen to all different styles of music. Solange isn't particularly doing anything unique, either, as her musical path has been done before by better artists (Erykah Badu, as I cited earlier).
Bear in mind, nobody's argued that Beyonce is unique or doing something new, whereas the argument has been floated that Solange is new and unique. So that's that, I still don't see it and I don't fit your straw man description, Laylah. Sorry.
11 - lilly
whatever u people say..we have seen the same beyonce for forever..the music she produces is music we expect from her...now as far as upgrade u..n stuff that was something totally new for sweet lil old beyonce....and guess wat solange wrote it !!! and for all u beyonce worshippers she is trying too hard she cant be an "pop icon" no more because chicks like jhud and rihanna are on the seen so she had to go out wit a bangin album hence "sasha fierce" shit and then immerse herself in the whole "i need to be an icon an make history" if anyone hasnt noticed sweet lil beyonce is gone...she is a diva!!!but lacks wat she needs to get the respect a diva gets...divas have that fuck it attitude..apparently she only has it when she is "sasha" Solange on the other hand..is extremely creative...and embodies all of that...yall should really pay attention to her..she has alot of talent and.../// (not to say bey aint the woman rite now) im jus sayin the way she been actin lately hell she's allowing her sister to outshine her.. i think she needs to chill for awhile enjoy her life..get into her acting or watever..have some kids..and let her sisters light shine..
12 - LADYGIRL
THe depth of her lyrics are beautiful and SOlange pours her herat out wheras Beyonce is trying to make a quick buck, tell me is freakdem dress a soulful song or is it just another chessy clubanger cmon people where is the soul, Solange is a great artisit give her credit
13 - violet
why are you guys comparing the both of them together? They are two different people that are good in their own specific way. You guys are just chatting rubish. How would you feel if you are being compared to your sibling that you are older than? You's lot need to get some life man. Chris or whatever you call your self if you want to be famous i beg you find another way to do it, Because that article has desperation written all over it. Rubish. How dare you open your mouth or rather your hand to say such rubbish about beyonce "the tables would be turned" and what table is turning. Get a life man and stop being a WANNABE!!! BITCH.
14 - Kaylin
I LOVE Solange. She Is An Awesome Singer. I love her Single I Decided. I LOVE Beyonce. She Is An Awesome Singer. I Love Her Single Diva. They Are BOTH DIFFERENT! They sound awesome! Solange Sings Old School! Beyonce Sings Hip Hop/Rap! They are two different singers. They sound alittle alike. SOLANGE SINGS ME TO HAPPINESS! BEYONCE ROCKS MY SINGING WORLD!! I am not gonna say who I like best, but I think If I sing I sound more like Solange. I think it is rude to compare them...But you have your opinion, just keep it to yourself!
15 - web
Beyonce Had Plastic Surgery Beyonce Stealing Styles Again Part 3
16 - Triest is cold hearted
i hope someone is planning to get rid of bey we just don't no where or who. everybody is tired of her mimiking and becoming the best of the best. Eventually some1 is going to snuff bey out then everyone would be devestated.
17 - Marcia Neil
#16, if you are receiving suggestive telephone calls you can complain to your local police.
18 - nicole
put simple I AGREE!
19 - maria
solange has nothing to gain by trying to be a second beyonce. being different is cleverer and more natural. they are both good. but beyonce made the nation go crazy coz she has a packet. and she has a music ear i can undestand this through the way she plays with her voice.
20 - Keeping It 100 Productions
Well I have to say this Beyonce' came out first so of course people will say she is better you saw her first, heard her sound first way before solange, but truthfully Beyonce and solange to me actually sound similar as far as voices go but if you listen to bey's song Ego and when she say's she can sing it to piano she sounds hoarse as to if you listen to Solange's song Ode to Marvin the last part of the song oh yes Solange could sing it to piano...and what I think is trying to be said in the blog is Bey is what the world wants her to be but Solange is a natural she does her I don't think Solange is trying to be Bey they are sister's who love each other and who has talent of different kinds I actually like solange's music more because I am old school but some Of bey's is OK my daughter like's it because to me it's geared toward younger people and for the record I think Beyonce tries to hard when she is singing most people like beyonce because she is sexy with that sweet sounding squeaky voice but to me she is not one of the best voices in the game today it's her sex appeal and the way she performs that keeps her in the front of everyone else...ijs
21 - ddrio
it's not f'in blasphemous, I'm straight and I think Solange has more punch than her sister ( although her dancing, from what I see in the video is just as bad as Beyonce )
as far as the gay club, the gays only like Beyonce because of the whole DIVA-ISH act, nothing more