Blind I | The Boutique Music Blog | Quality Over Quantity.

DAVINA

A decade after Davina invited us into The Best of Both Worlds, the R&B songbird has emerged from her hiatus with a bevy of tunes. The music climate has changed; a little more synth heavy, choreographed and gimmick-laden than she left it. But to our delight, Davina’s Return to Soul is a refreshing flashback to the bare elements of soul music. Her raspy vocals intertwine with moody tracks in a familiar fashion that hooks us like “Come Over to My Place,” circa 1998.

Though Davina stepped away from the limelight, she’s been making music in Europe in addition to producing and engineering for various artists. Then, like a love Jones she was lured back to the scene from the perspective of an artist.

“I’ve told people that I’ve literally heard God tell me I was supposed to sing,” Davina said. “So I’m never going to stop singing no matter how many things I know how to do in the music industry.”

Return to Soul is the first of a series of R & B compilations Davina plans to release. The album is an up-tempo byproduct of jam sessions and live instrumentation on tracks like “Get Live,” featuring from Larry Dunn from Earth Wind and Fire. Davina, who plays the bass, drums and keyboards, opts to channel her own rhythm as opposed to sampling.

“I sample what I come up with and what I play,” she said. “I don’t think it’s necessary to actually take from the records out there.”

The staple for most Davina songs is the vulnerable lyricism. Songs like “Stop” and “Red Sky” make the perfect match for anything from a new love to heartbreak to a midnight hour tryst. Return to Soul is a mash-up of old and new material that Davina wrote and produced over the years.

“It’s not as sophisticated as Best of Both Worlds,” Davina said. “This album is more raw. I didn’t go after it like let me have the guy that plays the ukulele on this.” So to summarize? Davina’s latest is best described as pure soul.

Davina prefers the independent route mainly for the creative control it provides for her sound. “Music business people are always like ‘test everything,’” she said. “They’re like ‘this is the way it is’ and I beg to differ. Until they’re ready for that [change] I gotta do it independently.”

Davina has also made forays into management through her Soul Line company, where she mentors and guides young artists. “Anybody that wants to do soul, we can join in line!”

More passionate than ever, Davina is back on the scene to deliver her unique grooves. Lookout for The Closet Album later this year.

Enjoy Blind I!

For more information check out:
http://www.myspace.com/idavinamusic

-M