Album Review: Qveen Herby — ‘EP 1’
The name Amy Noonan may not ring a bell, but the name Karmin certainly does. The pop/R’n’B duo, consisting of Amy and her husband Nick, rose to fame on YouTube and went on to release two critically acclaimed albums.
For 2017, the couple has decided to put their Karmin project on hold in order to focus on Amy’s new artist persona Qveen Herby. The qveen with a ‘v’ has now dropped her debut EP with the simple title 1, replacing Karmin’s pop influences with a more hip-hop and R’n’B oriented sound.
Let’s see how it all turned out, shall we?
1. “Gucci” (7/10)
The opening track of the EP makes two things crystal clear:
1) This qveen has a lot of sass, attitude, and — well — ego. But it suits her exceptionally well. Are you looking for strong women ready to slay the world? You’ve got one right here.
2) This qveen knows how to write and perform music.
Opening with the line “pull up in a gold rim Tesla,” Qveen Herby lets everyone know that only the finest things in life are good enough for her. “Bury me in Gucci,” she confidently demands on the chorus, “I got expensive taste.”
“Gucci” is a strong R’n’B track with a minimalist production and catchy hooks. It’s a good first taste of the qveen’s art, but the EP gets even better as we move on to the next tracks.
2. “Busta Rhymes” (10/10)
“People ask me all the time, ‘how you doin’ that busta rhyme’?”
Flashback to six years ago, when Karmin covered “Look At Me Now” on YouTube, and Amy blew everyone away with her flawless take on Busta Rhymes’s incredibly fast rap.
Flashforward to 2017. With “Busta Rhymes”, the first single from EP 1, Qveen Herby impressively demonstrates that she can still deliver a killer hook at the speed of light. “I spit it so quick that it’s scary,” she raps, and she couldn’t be more right. The amazing verses work perfectly with the slow, sensual chorus, creating a truly outstanding empowerment song.
Oh, and then there’s this bit: “All my women that be rockin’, look at all we have in common. Anything we gonna do, we gotta do it like a problem. And they say they wanna keep us at the bottom, but we too damn awesome.”
THIS is what we came for. Bow down to the qveen with a ‘v’.
3. “Zombie” (8/10)
The next track on EP 1 is a lot more R’n’B heavy than “Busta Rhymes”. Short verses lead to a catchy-as-hell chorus, on which Qveen Herby warns boys not to f*ck with her. “Careful what you’re doing, ’cause if I decide to bite, bitches know I make the boys go zombie all the time.”
The qveen’s vocals are particularly strong on this track, which — like all others on her debut EP — oozes with self-confidence. The verses and the subject matter may not be revolutionary, but who cares when there’s such a standout chorus?
4. “Wild” (8/10)
The qveen is drunk. She meets her ex. And boom. They spend the night together, and she wonders about her feelings, asking herself, “am I in love or just wild?”
Once again, the chorus hook is fantastic, and the midtempo verses show off the same storytelling qualities as many of the more recent Karmin tracks. On “Wild”, self-confidence meets vulnerability, creating a particularly relatable combination.
5. “Til We Get By” (7/10)
The final track on the EP wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Karmin’s latest album Leo Rising.
Qveen Herby doesn’t rap on “Til We Get By”, singing the heartfelt verses instead. In contrast to the egocentric opening track “Gucci”, this midtempo ballad features the singer and rapper expressing her unwavering support for her partner.
Some of the lyrics seem a little outdated in the sense that we’ve heard the same metaphors a million times before, for instance, “when you’re torn in two, I could be the glue.” Other lines, however, sound a lot more current: “Don’t be scared to lose, make a million mistakes. Got a pack of brews and some good movies.”
All in all, “Til We Get By” is a great track, but it doesn’t reach the same heights as others on the record.
Overall: 8/10
EP 1 is a strong debut for Qveen Herby. With its mix of R’n’B and hip-hop elements and its sublime choruses, the EP is sure to attract new fans without disappointing the longtime Karmin supporters.
From the killer rap parts on “Busta Rhymes” to the catchy hooks on “Zombie”, this is a record you should definitely listen to by an artist whose career you should definitely follow.
All hail the Qveen!
Buy EP 1 wherever music is sold and check our Qveen Herby’s social media!
