Such a Scandinavian Sensation
by
Ramon Giron-Melendez
Bursting onto the international music scene with an explosion of enthusiasm only made possible by the energy generated by thousands of viewers watching the live Eurovision semi-final performance, Stella debuted her first singing single (which also happened to be Norway’s Eurovision 2011 song entry). Swimming in the 21st century sea of eclectic cross-genre collaborations and modern musical talents, Stella’s new artistic tone and album wisely nestles its mood on the intersection of musical styles ranging from Nicki Minaj, Jason Derulo, Demi Lovato, and even Britain’s recent phenomena Tinie Tempah and The Wanted. Her Snoop Dogg-esque drag oozes Norwegian swag that is only matched by her emotional heart-piercing lyrics on sentimental tracks like “Throw me a Ladder.” Ever versatile and surprising, her new album, “Kinanda,” presents to all listeners great dance tracks, such as “Smile” and “Dance in the Rain,” indulging everybody’s guilty pleasure of bubblegum pop. Moreover, her dance tracks remind listeners that rap is not bound by circumstances, politics, or even economics, but that the artist herself ultimately defines it. Her Euro-pop dance variation pays off as it further gives the album an up-beat mood, reminding one that indeed, life does have great moments that can be shared with close friends, showing that life always has its hints of light and hope amid the darkness of our problems our lives can produce. Ultimately, this album is indebted to the changing musical scene that has allowed for Stella’s cross-genre masterpiece to rise. Nicki Minaj’s inversion of gender roles “I am no Jasmine, I am Aladin” permits Stella’s “hooks” to be sung by male vocals, instead of the traditional female voices that usually provide “hooks” in a rap or any collaboration for that matter (“Paper Airplanes”, “I’m Coming Home,” “Love the way you Lie”). Furthermore Jason Derulo, Iyaz, and even Sean Kingston, with their innovative R&B textures have given artists a new ingredient for their pop-song recipes. Being the astute artist she is, Stella works each song into a savory musical treat that compels the listener to not repeat a song, but actually traverse all her material, enjoying the complete album, tasting all of its diverse musical delights. This Kenyan-Norwegian rapper, taking her cue from other rappers like Gym Class Heroes, Nicki Minaj, and Pitbull, is shaking up what it means to not only be a hip-hop rapper, but also what it means to be a female artist. Using Dance beats, African rhythms, Norwegian swag, and Rap coolness Stella has created a wonderfully delectable melodic treat fit for the modern global ear.
