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There aren’t too many dance hall queens anymore.  Sure, there are always the intoxicating rhythms, but a lot of the vocals are quite often subpar and can make for a less than enjoyable listening experience away from a crowded dance floor.  The same goes for a lot of what is considered R&B in this decade.  Luckily, there is a beautiful voice out there to help rectify such inequities.  Alizé Levy has the goods to do it and her album Famous By Default definitely proves it.

The London-based singer is the daughter of reggae legend Barrington Levy and has performed with him on various occasions, including opening for him on a 2005 European tour.  Usually, when it comes to being related to someone who has had a huge following for decades, it’s impossible to break away from the enormous shadow of fame cast over the non-famous relatives.  However, Miss Levy shows enough ingenuity and creativity to make a name for herself.  Her strong vocal ability coupled with the up-tempo bounce of modern R&B and dancehall rhythms demonstrate her ability to delve into another genre of music without going above and beyond to try and prove herself.  The track “He Doesn’t Know My Name” is a prime example.  In fact, it is here that she demonstrates her skill as a songwriter as well.  The hip-hop-inspired beat combined with her beautiful song testimony about a guy who doesn’t know she exists reminds me of the late Aaliyah.  As I’ve said before, R&B these days is so devoid of actual content let alone actual vocalists who make you feel the joy and pain as professed through profound lyrics.  Alizé Levy brings back this lost talent and makes it fit in this modern club-hopping-themed world of music.  In spite of her father’s status as a legend, she’s sure to etch her own name into the music history books.

Alizé Levy on the web:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlizeLevy
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Alizelevy?feature=watch
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/famous-by-default/id374154097

— Simone Brown