It is still difficult to comprehend that one of the most talented vocalists of our generation was a 7th place finalist on American Idol. Yet Jennifer Hudson did not fade into obscurity like many of her peers. Catapulted to fame through her electric performance in the film-adaptation of Dreamgirls (2006), Hudson has established a strong career as a recording artist, actor, and now talent show judge.
Aside from her role in Dreamgirls, Hudson’s talent shines brightest through her live tributes and covers. Her exemplary tributes to Al Green, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston are cases in point. Yet her original studio material has certainly yielded some great work. Her debut eponymous album gave us the R&B jam ‘Spotlight’ and the gospel-fused ‘You Pulled Me Through’, while her last album (J-HUD) included the retro-funk tune ‘It’s Your World’. However, there has also been plenty of generic and overproduced R&B ‘filler’ – a disservice to Hudson’s talent.
Her new single ‘Burden Down’ deviates somewhat from her previous material. In this gospel-inspired piano ballad, Hudson laments the pressures of womanhood and the need to always be a source of constant support for those around her. Despair and exhaustion permeate the lyrics, with Hudson asking ‘just for a moment can I not be strong?’ Although a beltress at heart, Hudson has full mastery over all registers of her voice and sounds marvellous irrespective of volume. She treats the verses with a delicate soft touch, and explodes on the chorus – her voice heavy and piercing. The hook is not the most compelling, and Hudson arguably releases the full might of her voice prematurely – thus losing the opportunity for a more gradual build. Yet the simplicity of the arrangement and the rawness of her vocals gives ‘Burden Down’ an honesty and power.
–
A worthy entry in the catalogue of 21st Century soul.
Grade: B+
(Image Copyright: Epic Records)
