Jessie J's "It's My Party" - Single Review

     The fierce UK diva, who also holds the title of The Voice judge, is currently preparing for the release of her anticipated yet-to-be-titled sophomore album after some respectable commercial and critical reception the last couple of years. After the release of "Wild", a track featuring rapper Big Sean that carried a good amount of buzz and sassy attitude, but not as powerful of an impact as "Nobody's Perfect" or "Who You Are", Jessie J is giving fans an early listen to the upcoming effort's second single, "It's My Party", which is set for official release of September 15. The artist has the powerhouse vocals to knock every song out of the park, but recently has been relying on sometimes overbearing pop production to achieve a true hit. Hopefully, with the new album, Jessie J simply lets her beautiful voice do all the talking.

     Carrying a heavy load of pop inspiration from her last massive hit, "Domino", the new single is a fun, uptempo hit that relies heavy on the catchy, infectious chorus. Unfortunately that may be the ultimate highlight of the release. The artist's trademark vocals are indeed present, thank goodness, but they do not have the impact that I was hoping for. Instead, ears will be drawn to the Top 40 friendly background beats. "It's my party, I do, do what I want, So while you sit and watch me, I'll keep dancing alone", she sings in front of some supportive guitars as the chorus rolls around.

    "It's My Party" is not a terrible song by any means, but it's not the best that Jessie J can come up with either. It may sound too much like one of her past hits, but credit is deserved for her impressive vocal performance and the song's catchy nature. When it all comes down to it though, the new song may not have been the perfect choice to receive the single treatment as it is nothing spectacular or groundbreaking. After coming out on the scene with a fresh, unique approach to pop music, it seems now the artist is trying to find a generic footing to achieve the ultimate level of success she has been slipping away from.

B-