This week marked the release of many high-profile music collaborations, as labels seek to boost holiday sales. In an interesting twist, several of the collaborations are reminiscent of older songs by classic artists, adding a nice throwback element.
First up is a slow jammer from Keyshia Cole and Ashanti, “Woman to Woman,” a girl power anthem with a twist. The two women discover they are dating the same man, and have a conversation about what to do. “Woman to Woman” feels like an updated version of “Same Script, Different Cast,” the 2000 duet between Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox, which is built around the same premise.
However, while the older duet featured Whitney lecturing Deborah, “what is he telling you/could it be the same thing that he told me, Keyshia and Ashanti take a different approach, trying to work things out between them, “woman to woman/I think it’s only fair.”
The two singers both have smooth, mild voices, which blend well together, making the song more of a conversation than sing-off.
http://youtu.be/xaeNDkLoO24
Another collaboration released this week also feels like an updated version of an older song, Rihanna and Chris Brown’s “Nobody’s Business.” The duet between the controversial pair feels very much like Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown’s 1993 single, “Something in Common,” which also featured a megawatt pop star trying to justify her relationship with a bad body rapper.
“[Nobody’s Business] is basically the way I look at everything regarding my personal life,” Rihanna told Andy Cohen, “When it gets to my music and stuff like that, I’ll give and I’ll give and I’ll give, and I just feel like I need to keep a little bit for me.” The collaboration will be featured on her highly anticipated new album, Unapologetic, which drops November 19.
http://youtu.be/h3XVJ4ZtahM
Christina Aguilera and Pitbull also released a duet this week, “Feel this Moment,” a track guaranteed to be on many holiday party playlists. The upbeat, radio friendly song features typically powerful vocals from Aguilera. “Feel this Moment” will appear on Pitbull’s Global Warming, also set for a November 19 release.
http://youtu.be/Nszl1iHF4xo
Rounding out the releases is Eve, with a remix of “Turn On the Lights,” in which the rapper alternates verses with Future.
http://youtu.be/vJqF9cD902c
