Heather Headley

“In my mind”

Grade: B-

RCA Records

 

When I think of singer Heather Headley, the word “diva” comes to mind.

With her second album “In My Mind” under her belt, a Grammy nomination added just another notch to the mix of soul, rhythm and blues Headley could produce.

According to www.VH1.com, Headley is no stranger to the spotlight.

After studying communications and musical theater at Northwestern University, she landed the part of Nala in the Broadway production of “The Lion King.”

Headley also landed the role of the Nubian princess in the musical “Aida,” which earned her a Tony Award in 1998. 

The experience surely helped Headley create this  album made of easy-going with a side of up-tempo dancing tracks to add some flavor to the mix.

Headley begins her second album with the song “In My Mind.”

This song paints a picture for her audience. This picture is of an ex-lover with another woman.

In this picture she says that it doesn’t matter who he is with now because nothing has changed.

Her feelings have not changed. She says, “In my mind I will always be his lady.”

Vybz Kartel helps to add a little spark of rhyme in the beginning of the song “How Many Ways.”

He also helps Headley introduce herself by saying, “You know it’s Heather Headley, so cool, so deadly.”

Headley’s lyrics are easily relatable when it comes to leaving a relationship behind.

“Losing you had to be, the best thing that ever happened to me/ Now I’m over the pain, I found love again/ With a man that makes me so happy.”

Her soft-beat, losing-a-significant-other songs quickly turn around to the upbeat dancing song “Rain.”

In the song “Rain,” she compares her love in a relationship to rain, with the help of Shaggy, who is featured in the song.

Headley uses the springtime synonym to prove she wants her partner to “shower your love all over me.”

Even Lil’ Jon pops up on this album to produce.  Instead of going the ultra-crunk route by bumping up the bass, Lil’ Jon tends to lean more to the shoo-wop side of the spectrum for the song “Back When It Was.”

“In My Mind” seems to be somewhat of a diary explaining the feelings of any woman dealing with a lost love, independence, a cheating heart and having fun with her girlfriends.

The album is strictly rhythm and blues with a hint of pop.

Well, in my mind, Headley was just the right mix of soul and R&B.

— Lydia Earhart, News Editor