Normani drops her "Motivation" follow up "Wild Side", after 84 years

Normani dropped her solo debut single a year ago. A year ago. Can you believe it's been a whole year since Normani released "Motivation"!? I still sit and wonder what the reasoning was behind leaving a whole year in-between single releases for Normani, and 'But the pandemic' isn't a reason, given all of the music that literally EVERYBODY ELSE has been releasing in that time.

Leaving such a long time in between singles was a huge risk. But given the response to Normani's new single "Wild Side", she gon' be aight.

This video is great. Normani looks amazing. And the girl can DANCE. Normani has that IT factor y'all. Her light being dimmed so hard in Fifth Harmony had to be a type of racism.

There aren't a lot of artists in pop or R&B releasing music videos like this any more. Much like "Motivation", it's an ode to the late 90s and early 2000s. Not just in terms of looks, but the whole production - hearkening back to a time when labels blew budgets on music videos, and every R&B (and eventually pop) video was looking then how K-Pop music videos be looking now. Multiple sets, a bunch of looks and very choreo heavy.

It's cool that despite only having 2 singles out that Normani has a visual style and an angle. It's a good thing too, because there's not much to go on musically. "Motivation" was cute. But today when I tried to remember the verses, my mind was blank. Fuck the lyrics. I couldn't even remember the rhythm or the melody. And then here comes "Wild Side", which for me a wholly tuneless song. Nothing about it sticks. Even the use of the beat from Aaliyah's "One in a Million" doesn't hit, which is the side of things which is truly wild.

I know Aaliyah's "One in a Million" from front to back. I STILL play that damn song. "Wild Side" doesn't add anything to it. It's not as catchy nor memorable, which just goes to highlight how strong Missy Elliott's pen game was. And despite sharing the same beat, it doesn't go as hard on "Wild Side" as it did originally on "One in a Million". Interestingly, Timbaland nor Missy is credited in the liner notes for "Wild Side" - but I'm sure they were compensated somehow. Because Timbaland posted an Insta story where he listened to the song and he gave it his approval - something he wouldn't have done if he wasn't credited or paid.

If there is a good thing to come out of the song "Wild Side", it's that it'll introduce a new audience to Aaliyah. Although with her discography still not on streaming, "Wild Side" is the closets we gon' get to hearing post Age Ain't Nothing but a Number Aaliyah on streaming. Although bootleg uploads of some of her songs can still be found on Spotify.

Whilst I get that a Cardi B feature guarantees a hit and will get all the social engagement in the world, she added absolutely nothing to a song which was already giving nothing. If I liked this song I'd ask for somebody to give me a radio edit without her, but I'mma never play this song again anyway.

If Normani doesn't release an album this year, then we'll probabaly get another single this time in 2022. I actually think Normani's label might play her and have her release an EP after all this.