Brooding lyrics are one thing, but unless the right voice is putting them into melodic shape, they aren’t nearly as effective as they should be. In this sense, Meresha is the right performer to give us the new single and music video “Trouble” this spring, as it’s her tonal presence and overall oomph at the microphone that gives this track its star-caliber quality. This is indie-pop with a pulse, and moreover, it’s a single that presents us with as much about its creator as it does where she wants to take her career in the future.
The verses in “Trouble” sport a certain self-awareness that a lot of this player’s peers would have a hard time embracing, especially beside as big a groove as she’s working with here, but this doesn’t seem to be much of an issue for Meresha at all. Her comfortability with everything from the arrangement to the statements she’s making with her melodic poetry is noticeable from the onset of the track forward, and better yet, it’s never translating as being driven by arrogance. She’s got a humble position at the helm of this material that I wouldn’t expect from someone so talented, and if she can maintain it, mainstream applause is going to come her way a lot sooner than later.
This bassline is a lot more indulgent than what I normally go for, but with the vocal Meresha is putting at the top of the mix, it’s not only necessary to give “Trouble” its trademark bite – the strength of the beat here kind of demands it. For us to feel the movement of the music, as is our singer’s intention, there has to be more excess than there is efficiency in this performance, which is another place where this artist is venturing that her contemporaries are just too intimidated to explore.
If you’re a fan of potent pop rhythm and striking vocals, Meresha’s work is something you need to check out before the start of the summer season. She’s got a lot of attitude in “Trouble” that isn’t going to waste, and as the song’s title would suggest, her motivated skillset is something that her closest competition on either side of the dial should be a little fearful of. As of now, Meresha has a track worthy of the spotlight, and seeing what she does in the future should prove interesting for fans and critics alike.
