Michaela May - Rogue (EP)

Stream Rogue here (Spotify)

I love it when a singer releases a soaring body of work that actually says "I'm here, this is what I stand for, I'm taking NO prisoners". There's something bold and gratifying about such a stance. It's exactly what Michaela May has done on her brand new EP, Rogue. Even the title suggests that she is not here to conform to the norm, and is ready to explore beyond her boundaries. Six songs take you through an electrifying array of beats, rhythms, tempos and genres whilst providing you with salve to lift your spirits and send your soul soaring. Michaela's voice is an expressive gift that works with the glorious scores to bring the lyrics alive and make it feel as if each song is sung personally to the listener. In a world where the norm seemingly seems to be to copy the same beats that have generated a hit, this is a return to the wonderful world of pop where the lyrics and melodies are at the core of the creation of the song. Immerse yourself in Rogue and emerge satiated and euphoric...

• 1954 ~ The EP opens with what is (sadly) still a timely message; a compelling tale of the lingering prejudices and assumptions that women face in the world every day. Set to a military beat, the rhythmic groove takes hold of the electro-infused music and powers it forward with a commanding synth riff that permeates every second of the song. Michaela is mesmerising as the captain of this ship, taking control of the melody with mellifluous ease. There's a fine balance between righteous assertion and sounding angry yet she never crosses the line into powerless rage. Instead, she imbues her vocal with the confidence of a person who knows what she wants and isn't going to apologise for not conforming to outdated stereotypes. She's marching to the beat of her own drum and never has "dum diddy dum diddy da-da-dum dum" sounded so empowering and magnificent. What I love about the song is that it can be an anthem for anyone who has felt disenfranchised and struggled to be recognised for the wonderful person they are inside.
• You & I ~ This radiant track starts as an uptempo ballad, detailing the inner strength one needs to recover from a break up. You get the impression that, as the music grows to an explosive crescendo in the chorus, Michaela sings to solidify her resolve and feel empowered all over again. It's got a contemporary shimmy to the production yet it really is a song for the ages and is going to accompany you on your life journey, lifting you up whenever you need it the most. The sax during the middle 8 adds a sumptuous, liberating vibe to the song -
  so much so that by the time that phenomenal, rapid fire chorus arrives for one final run-through, you are waving your hands to the sky in emphatic testimony.
• Sapiosexual ~ Rogue continues to be a woke EP of epic proportions. We need this song in our lives right now,
  considering who is in the White House, considering that we (society) merits looks over brains, fame over IQ. Sapiosexual is about finding intelligence attractive. Michaela is on the search for such a partner, someone who can hold conversation whilst using knowledge to press all the right buttons. It is a deliriously pulsing groove, glorious synths and strings that coalesce to give an ebullient wall of sound that will keep you slave to its rhythm all summer long. Should absolutely be a single, with a video full of gorgeous people. And remixes. I insist...
• Lights Out ~ When something is good it is worth fighting for. That is the message of Lights Out, a tale of remembering all the positive things that made the relationship so worth while. Michaela is full of seductive flirtation, giving a vocal that would be very hard to resist as she implores, via the titular refrain, don't turn the lights out. Once again, she is gifted with an excellent pop instrumental - the type that we all wish Katy had concentrated more on during Witness, or that would make Kylie jealous! It is not about comparison, however; more about Michaela carving out her niche as her own artist and this is another sterling example of how she does this.
• Loveaholic ~ I like to think this is the positive outcome from Lights Out. Those crazy kids worked things out and now everything is sunshine and roses, puppy dogs and candy floss. This is a composition so saturated in the joy of love that the sentiments of glee are practically tangible, reaching out of your speakers and titillating you with their intoxicating nature. It feels like every song on this EP could be a single that dominates the charts for months - a case of all killer no filler. Quite the accomplishment and a quality she keeps going right until the very last track...
• Lost ~ Michaela ends the album giving 90s Cathy Dennis realness on a song so alluring that you want to reach out and caress its face in the gentlest of ways. There is a vulnerability to the nuanced vocal that is achingly poignant. Michaela is an elegant narrator of this tale of heartache, yet you get the impression that by singing through her pain it is the start of a journey towards healing - ensuring that the song isn't mired in melancholy. Languorous echoing effects enhance the swirling vortex of emotion, and the melody will linger in your brain long after the song has finished. A truly magnificent collection of songs that deserves as much attention and praise as you all can muster. Call everyone you know and tell them that going Rogue is the answer to their musical dreams.