It’s pretty easy to spot a Jason Derulo clue, because he sings his name at the beginning of all of them. Hey, it worked for Craig David’s first album and that record was out of the woods, so why not try this method of shameless self-advertising?
The American singer, songwriter and dancer initially captivated the world with his single Whatcha Say. It features the hook from Imogen Heap’s Hide and Seek, which was probably better known as the when-Marisa-died-in-the-OC anthem. This success was followed by the undeniable smash hit In My Head. You would have to have been living on a desert island not to have heard it by now.
In My Head may be the most airplayed R&B single since Ne-Yo’s Closer, which speaks volumes about the direction R&B has taken today. While every Miley Cyrus-loving, Twilight-obsessed teen loves Ne-Yo, there’s no denying that when he burst onto the scene he was groundbreaking and should be given the credit he deserves. He brought something fresh to urban music and countless imitators have quickly jumped on the bandwagon, Derulo being one of them. It just turns out that he’s better at it than most so far.
Derulo has a similar look (check out the sports hat), vibrates, and sounds. In addition, he dances, writes and produces very commercial music for clubs. Not to mention, timing is everything, and the R&B scene has been looking for someone to take Chris Brown’s place ever since the Rihanna incident.
The self-titled album is doing incredibly well for a debut. Whatcha Say reached number 1 in the US and In My Head reached the top 5 in the US and number 1 in Australia. The other tracks on the album are basically the same as the first two singles, fluff dance-R&B that will play in clubs and will likely chart well. Highlights include What If, Ridin’ Solo, which will become the next single, and the slower token track Blind, included no doubt to show Derulo’s more sensitive side and make the ladies swoon.
Derulo’s soft voice, stylish clothes, immaculately groomed facial hair and Supras collection seem to be a winning combination. Call me old-fashioned, but it’s nice to see a man wear his jeans over his underwear for a change. To top it off, the guy knows a few dance moves, even if the video of him blatantly copies Justin Timberlake’s Like I Love You with the convenience store scene. It’s not the work of a musical genius, but he’s giving the people what he wants and the result is sweeping the charts. I guess if he ain’t broke, why fix him?
