Odelia Vs. Beyoncé

posted in: Features • Pop

Beyoncé is without a doubt a superstar. While news of her recent pregnancy (and controversy surrounding it) may have overshadowed her artistic achievements as of late, no one can deny that she has been one of the most talented and successful artists of the last decade, and she shows no signs of slowing down. Not only has she dominated the pop charts, but she has also been a great role model for young women. She has written songs about female empowerment and being independent, and she has also avoided run ins with the law and scandals that often plague other pop stars. So for this week’s edition of Vs. we’re putting the spotlight on another talented diva with a positive message, Odelia.

Growing up as the daughter of a Pentecostal minister, Odelia was exposed to music at a very early age. These childhood experiences in the church also influenced the positive message in her music; female empowerment and self improvement are recurring themes in her songs. Odelia and Beyoncé also share a similarity in their ability to meld elements of pop, R&B and soul seamlessly. They both can create up tempo songs and ballads with equal success. For example, take a listen to Odelia’s song “Hard To Say Sorry.” You might notice that the song shares some stylistic similarities to Beyoncé’s single “Best Thing I Never Had.” Both of these songs are ballads that are based around a piano melody. The piano parts in both songs are very catchy, but they sit far back enough to let the real focus of the song be the vocals. Odelia possesses a voice that is very similar to Beyoncé’s in its soulful quality impressive range.

“Bridge” is another ballad from Odelia that showcases her vocal chops. This song is built around an acoustic guitar and hand drums. The song shows her wide array of influences; the chorus includes a shout out to Simon & Garfunkel’s legendary song “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and you can hear the duo’s influence in this song. Odelia also has the ability to write an upbeat pop hit in addition to her ballads. “Hot” is a dance pop track with swirling synths and an irresistibly catchy chorus. It’s the kind of song that seems tailor made for the club. “Rock Wit Me!” is another upbeat track, but instead of synthesizers, Odelia utilizes electric guitars to make a smoother and funkier track, and a guitar solo at the end of the song definitely puts the exclamation point on this fun track.

However, unlike Beyoncé, Odelia is of Jamaican descent, and she utilizes the country’s rich musical heritage in her music. “Serious” is a twenty-first-century take on classic Jamaican reggae. The song begins with a simple guitar melody that repeats for the whole song, and keyboard chords on offbeats provide the song’s reggae feel. Odelia even changes up her vocal style to suit the style of the song, using the techniques of the great Jamaican singers. “Is That You” is another song in that vein. It combines the classic elements of reggae with modern production techniques. The track uses the offbeat rhythms that are a staple of classic reggae music, but also uses modern flares like processed drums and an unrecognizable, sped up vocal sample. Odelia is proof that modern pop and world music can coexist in perfect harmony.