It definitely came as something of a surprise when Nicola Roberts released quirky electro pop stomper ‘Beat Of My Drum’ earlier this year. While Cheryl Cole was off making music with new BFF will.i.am, and Nadine Coyle headed Stateside to record her eponymous debut, it’s fair to say that very few expected the ultimate ‘Best Girls Aloud Solo Effort’ Award to go to the one who dared shun the sanctity of the fake tan bottle.
But such is the nature of the pop game. ‘Beat Of My Drum’, produced by Philly button-pusher Diplo, certainly provided an intriguing taster for Nicola’s debut LP Cinderella’s Eyes. But would it live up to the hype?
Well, in a word – yup. Production-wise, Roberts has certainly pulled out the big guns, with Diplo and Metronomy’s Joseph Mount adding a big fat seal of cool to the record before we’ve even heard the choons on offer.
Which, might I add, are pretty darn good. A mixture of guaranteed-to-fill-the-dancefloor pop anthems (title track ‘Cinderella’s Eyes’, ‘Beat Of My Drum’) and some slower, more confessional ballads (‘i’, ‘Sticks + Stones’), the album is as much a platform for Roberts to hit back at the ‘haters’ (yep, I said it) as anything else. Lyrics like “Funny that I was too young for so many things/Yet you thought I’d cope with being told I’m ugly” (Sticks + Stones) and “I don’t like nasty words, they hurt me like you’d never know/Don’t think I won’t put on a smiling face and do the show” (‘i’) offer an insight into how being thrust into the limelight at just 16 years of age affected the singer.
It’s not all roses though. While it has a solid start and finish, the album lags somewhat midway. ‘Say It Out Loud’ overdoes the empowering call-to-arms, with a cheesy chorus of, “All across the nation/Put your hands up if you’re faking”, while there’s a definite whiff of Eurovision off ‘Gladiatior’, despite its Gwen Stefani-esque leanings.
In all though, this is a slick and impressive debut from a girl who’s most definitely having the last laugh.