“Call Me I Need Ya” (Clean Mix) is the latest single from South African based and Nigerian born R&B/Afrobeat singer/songwriter Victor Pedro. It continues his inexorable rise to prominence in one of the most competitive musical niches in the modern scene today. The musical arrangement has a nuanced level of emotion uncommon to songs in this genre – it seems to be held together, sometimes, by little more than a magical spell with its airy percussive groove and dollops of synthesizer dripping like quicksilver throughout the course of the three and a half minute plus tune.
Some might hear the song and long for a little more going on musically; such naysayers are missing the point and can’t see the forest for the trees. When I hear the song, I can’t help but notice the laser focus burning through every second of the song – Pedro locks onto what he wants from the beginning and brings listeners along for the ride with the sure hand you will not hear from other performers of this ilk.
It is all the more remarkable considering Pedro’s youth. This young performer began chasing his musical dreams at the age of thirteen and the single-mindedness present in such individuals shapes our experience of “Call Me I Need Ya” – we aren’t distracted with unproductive or needless sideshows where Pedro attempts to prove his worth to audiences but, instead, come through in his relaxed yet emotive vocal treatment.
His voice is surrounded with a sonic framework full of the necessary warmth and production excellence to emphasize the longing at the heart of this song without ever sounding unduly stagy or straining for effect. Each of the disparate elements threading this song together into a larger whole are complementary without ever drawing too much attention to any particular one and reveal the keen ear that’s defined Pedro’s career to this point and likely will for years to come.
The lyrics are another key component in making this song work for audiences. It isn’t an especially intricate lyric and definitely doesn’t intend on remaking the wheel, but Pedro distinguishes himself by bringing his heart to the surface with a level of unabashed vulnerability that’s a hallmark of classic R&B, but sadly missing from much of modern R&B tradition. This is important to note. Anyone who thinks Pedro’s upbringing on the African continent precludes him from a strong connection to traditional R&B strengths is served notice, with this song, that music is truly a universal language and talent will win out over such arbitrary concerns like geography.
Pedro clearly belongs among the ranks of the most talented young performers in this style today and his growing musical powers are on full display with his latest single “Call Me I Need Ya” and there’s no reason to expect he won’t continue to expand on this potential with future releases. We are still early in this growing career so listeners are well advised to latch onto this rocket as it blasts ever higher into the stratosphere of modern music.
