Jussie Smollett ft Estelle - Conqueror

Pre-order the Empire soundtrack here (Amazon UK)

New hip hop drama Empire is pretty much unstoppable Stateside at the moment, garnering ratings and rave reviews that other shows can only dream of. While us Brits salivate waiting for the action packed "musical Dynasty" to hit out shores we can fortunately partake of it's musical delights via the magic of You Tube. There's a plethora of great songs to choose from that I won't spoil for you now if you haven't spent hours obsessively perusing them (as I have) but I can hold my tongue no longer about the redemptive power of the Jussie Smollett-Estelle duet Conqueror. It's not only a highlight from a show filled with potential smash hits, but it's a vocal and emotive tour de force from both singers that bring the lyrics into vivid focus, making this living breathing art. Conqueror is just one of those songs that provides just the right amount of inspirational motivation to give you the sustenance you need to face your problems, pick yourself up and get on with being the very best you that you know how to be. The lyrics are little chicken soup for the soul bon mots that transcend any one situation making this an uplifting anthem for the masses. Jussie delivers a sincere, earnest vocal that harnesses his powers of restraint to excellent effect, making sure that you feel every ounce of nuanced emotion that he pours into his performance. Estelle is equally impressive giving us just this tiny hint of a vulnerability that instantly gives a back story to her singing, filling every blank space. Her forceful denouement in the songs final chorus harness her ability to exude sheer determination and strength - and when they sing together it's just sheer magic. "I am a conqueror/and I won't accept defeat" they sing and suddenly life's problems don't seem so insurmountable. Better than any anti-depressant out there, this song came like a gift from the gods when I was having a very low time in my life. It became the tug I needed to rouse myself from wallowing self despair to realising bad things do happen - sometimes that's out of your control, but how you react to it is entirely up to you. It's now a mantra to help me make the best of life - and just an absolutely amazing tune that feels like it should be an international best seller. Stunning.