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“Baby, are you sure you want to cross that line?” asks Mahalia in her new album’s standout track, “Terms and Conditions”. The singer from Leicestershire sets out rules for a potential lover, demanding that he prove himself worthy of her love. The imagery used is contractual and business-like, invoking the unreliable UK music industry as another suitor who has failed to meet her standards.
Mahalia Burkmar, known by her full name, has received some level of support throughout her career. She was signed to a major label at the age of 13 and remains on their roster at the age of 25. However, her music has suffered due to the general neglect of her genre, UK R&B. This neglect encompasses all aspects of the industry, from radio airplay to awards ceremonies. In response to the lack of UK R&B artists nominated for the Brit Awards, she wore a Burberry trenchcoat with the message “Long Live R&B” printed on the back.
IRL is Mahalia’s latest album, released four years after her studio debut with 2019’s Love and Compromise. The album begins and ends with tracks that express her fear of being overlooked. In the opening track “Ready”, she emphasizes her struggle to maintain stability and secure her place at the table. Her enunciation of the words mirrors the punches of a boxer. The title track, “IRL”, revisits her teenage dreams of having an audience sing back to her, as she chants, “I just want to see in real life what it is I see when I close my eyes.”
The album strives to make those dreams a reality, focusing on quality songcraft rather than attention-grabbing gimmicks. The song “Terms and Conditions”, co-written with RAYE, is a catchy anthem with versatile switches in tone. She collaborates with Stormzy on the romantic lullaby “November”. Complicated romantic scenarios recur throughout the album, such as the non-committal relationship portrayed in “Hey Stranger”. However, the production remains uncluttered, allowing her adroit singing and straightforward beats to effectively convey the emotions. When challenging boundaries, it’s essential to set them clearly.
★★★★☆
‘IRL‘ is released by Atlantic Records
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