Berlin – There’s definitely no sophomore slump in the cards for Selah Sue, a Belgian superstar in the making. With Reason, Selah Sue has elevated her artistry a notch or two and as she asserts herself even more as a singer-songwriter, it is only a matter of when – not if – she becomes an artist written about in the same vein as Roisin Murphy, Robyn, and Adele – European singers that have carved out niches beyond their borders and continents.
In a similar fashion to artists that fly just under the radar of superstardom, Belgian chanteuse Selah Sue (real name Sanne Putseys) is one of those artists you want to keep all to yourself even though you acknowledge her formidable talents to the world of music. Her voice, best defined as a raspy angelic wail, is the stuff of a legend in the making.
What if Janis Joplin, Bob Marley, and Carol King had a ménage a trois?
Out would pop Selah Sue, whose voice knows no boundaries. Although she is a known commodity among her native Belgium, France, and Netherlands, outside of those territories she is far from it; a fact that works to her advantage while on tour. For those who are not in the know, her live show is just as nuanced as her phrasing, just as deep as her lyrics, and just as perfect a delivery as can be maintained in comparison to the recorded versions. Pitch perfect from start to finish, it would be nearly impossible to catch a flaw during her recent Stockholm set. The intimate setting at Nosturi only made the feeling more electric. Backed by a stellar band, Selah Sue proves that it is not necessary to have a stage full of unnecessary elements to keep an audience rapt with attention. With the right voice, songs, and ambiance, you have all the ingredients necessary to ignite the spark.
Reggae, blues, soul, jazz, hip hop and more, Selah Sue is adept at tackling and conquering any genre of music and she proved it throughout her set, with a backup vocalist that boasted a range to match her own. When she cut into a version of Lauryn Hill’s classic “Lost Ones,” the message was loud and clear: this is an artist that is gong places far beyond the trenches of her neighboring native lands.
Selah lays her heart on the line through her pipes, and when compared to any of her contemporaries, she is just as eloquent – if not more so – and the depth of her lyrics and conviction of her stage persona will only get stronger. The comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Adele will be around for many years to come, but make no mistake: Selah Sue is singular, here to stay, and no flash in the pan. She is serving us all the “Reason” to stick around.
Selah Sue is currently on an international tour. To keep track of the latest news, follow Selah Sue on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Reason is available for purchase on iTunes.
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Triston Brewer
artist, writer, event organizer, and promoter. As a
freelance journalist, he has covered both the underground and
mainstream aspects of the arts, culture, music, entertainment, travel, and
fashion in several cities, including New York, London, Berlin,
Istanbul, Sydney, Bangkok, and Hong Kong to name a few. Fluent in
English, German, Dutch, and Spanish, Triston has been published in The
Huffington Post, Trespass (London), FashionTV, as
well as featured in publications such as the New York Times, Vogue
Italia, Turkish Huriyet, InStyle, and other on-line and print
magazines in the U.S. and internationally. He recently released the first volume
of his memoir on life in Europe, 'Heaux Confessionals: The
Sintroduction'. As a solo performer and with his project band $kandal
Du$t, he has toured in some of the world's most renown clubs,
simultaneously maintaining an underground renaissance,
blurring the lines of all that is traditional and leaving his
indelible, and ultimately unforgettable impression. There is no divide
- brace yourself.
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