A few years back Michael W. Smith sang of finding his place in this world. In 2018 Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton released “Say Something” to shed light on societal pressures and confidence to speak aloud. Now this year, singer/songwriter extraordinaire Eline Fluery floors listeners with her also- titled, “Say Something” from her debut album This Woman. Mark her name and her voice in your memory chambers – “Say Something” is an outstanding sonic experience.
URL: https://music.elinefleury.com/
Summoning the spirit of American jazz, Afro and Haitian influences, Fluery seems to be an artist on a mission in “Say Something”. This song is deliciously cohesive. A sinuous groove, with melodic piano and tribal-like percussion, Fluery emerges as if she were the rising phoenix above it all. Take the lines do you want to hear me? / let it out…speak (repeats speak several times) / ‘cuz my heart is speaking / now it’s time… Fluery switches from first person to speaking on behalf of, what I can only contend, is a generation. Lack for a better term, Fluery has found her voice in this song. She’s upbeat, the tempo is chill, but enough vibration to move those hips. I liked the snappy-rhythm. It’s a very unique blend of modern beats, what I can presume is piano and melodic backing vocals. It all molds together effortlessly.
It’s hard to really put a label on this song because it transcends genres. Certainly it has influences and Fluery notes in her press materials that she’s influenced by the iconic Nina Simone. If you just sit and really stop what you’re doing, you can hear those tingling happenings. This is the sound people talk about when you hear them refer to a singer ‘commanding the stage.’ Fluery has a fierceness within her voice. I think this song is the result of being in a loving relationship that has an imbalance. They care for each other, but she has bowed down for years. She feels like she’s had it and wants to speak up for her place in the partnership. She’s so collected and distinct that hasn’t festered for years – she’s just stating the facts. She’s saying her side of things and he had better listen. Again, she sings, do you want to hear me? I think once she knows the real answer, she’s made up her mind to walk away if she has to. But on her terms.
World music fans, and believe it or not, fans of Sting should check out “Say Something”. I heard his new track with Angelique Kidjo recently, and she reminded me somewhat of Fluery. I must confess, though, my preference is Fluery! I think listeners will be just as spellbound with Fluery as I was and who knows, maybe it will inspire them to speak up like they’ve never done before. It’s never too late and with a song like “Say Something” to guide you, you might just be surprised by the voice you do have inside you. The words you say, the thoughts you have – Fluery would sing – have meaning and have power.
Jodi Marxbury
The music of Eline Fluery has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com