Album Review: Jessie J - Who You Are

Jessie J - Who You Are

Arguably the biggest thing in the UK music industry right now, recent Brits 'Critics Choice' winner Jessie J releases her debut album Who You Are this week.

Debut hit Do It Like A Dude hinted that the 22 year old was more likely to be the female Tine Tempah than the female Bruno Mars. However, I was surprised to find that Who You Are has a real pop sensibility running through it. However, notwithstanding the fact it is much poppier than I expected, I was hugely disappointed with this album.

Opening track and Uk #1 single Price Tag is a solid gold pop gem. Sadly, there is nothing on Who You Are that lives up to anything like that standard. It is mostly sub-Katy Perry pop schmuck and some of the mid-paced records are real album filler. L.O.V.E and Stand Up are instantly forgettable in a way that Rihanna releases seldom are.

The only time I was really engaged with this record was on the three acoustic bonus tracks at the end of the album. Stripped back versions of Price Tag, Do It Like A Dude and Who You Are demonstrate that all three are great pop tunes and that Jessie J is a competent performer. Disappointingly, the lazy, unoriginal production on the rest of the record manages to hide this fact which is a crying shame.

I can't help think that this is an opportunity that has been spectacularly missed. Jessie J could really have carved out a major niche as the British Pink or Katy Perry but instead Who You Are is another album of second rate pap. A huge shame.