I feel a mantra or three coming on. Perhaps even a rant. You can’t listen to album like “Lady wonder” by Annique without suffering such side effects. So, with a snap of the fingers, let’s get the ball rolling…
Don’t take the easy route to success. Don’t sell your soul to the much worshipped deity that is computerised mediocrity. Don’t be just like everybody else. Instead, have a voice that exudes style and trumpets the benefits of a musical education. Instead, take subtlety as your teacher and - why not? - sound like others have done but, when all is said and done, do what the best do and stamp your own signature on all that you do. Grace and elegance can then go hand in hand and both the sunrise and sunset of song will soon be yours.
OK, I am given to being dramatic but, then again, so is Annique. With the help of multi-instrumentalist Koby Israelite, she struts her stuff with the technical confidence of a jazz singer yet she also seems driven to seek out the cabaret spotlight in search of one more post midnight encore. Showtune sensibilities, gloriously, also surface to add the colours of the emotional rainbow to “Puzzles” and “One Last Goodbye” and, as if to keep the Scottish ink in my pen flowing, she even throws in an enchanting version of the Aztec Camera song “Somewhere In My Heart”. The lady clearly has excellent taste.
Best song? The gloriously melodramatic “Puzzles”.
The verdict? A true singer of songs. I shall now worship Annique.