(Photo By Toy Taha)
“Memories” F/ Nightmeer (listen/download)
Toy Taha is a singer/songwriter/blogger from Philadelphia, PA. She is a soulful being who is inspired by old school greats such as Janet Jackson, Teena Marie, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, etc. Her writing is based on her life experiences, her loved ones, and her surroundings. Also, she has a pretty traditional yet extensive background in music. She grew up with the art form in her home, performed with other girls in her neighborhood, was part of school choirs, and developed her writing skills from poetry. Her end game is for her music to go on to touch people as other artists have touched and inspired her. Her first effort in achieving said goal will be her debut EP, I Am Woman. She reached out to site with two of the singles that will appear on the project. “Memories” will be covered in this review and “Move On Without You” can be heard here.
“Memories” was written by Toy herself and produced by Serious Productions. It serves as the second release off of the pending EP. The production turned out well. It is made up of: a hearty bass, expressive background components (which includes live instrumentation via congas & horns), a middling pace, and a folksy vibe. Toy wanted a sound that mirrored a Hip-Hop & Soul mix and she definitely got it. The hook is dignified too. The vocals are snazzy and the lyrics are a flawless representation of the song’s theme. The verses are favorable. Toy utilizes polished vocals and self-explanatory lyrics. She croons about moving forward after a relationship has ended and the struggle that comes with it due to the memories. A couple of noteworthy lines include: “Heaviness on my shoulders. But I’m not scared. No, I’m not scared. I know I can move on from this. I gain the strength when I’m reminded of when all those times you left me home lonely. Silly me thinking you were my homie, lover, friend. And then the hurt replays again.” Emotional portrait being painted by those words right there. Rapper Nightmeer helps bring the track to an end by gracing the tune with standard complimentary rhymes. All in all, this was a noble undertaking.
**My Two Cents: Toy Taha is a talented individual. Her vocals are fair and you can hear her musical influences in her singing. Her lyrical work was up to par as well. She kept things short and straight to the point while at the same time really embodying the theme of the record. Her wording could have been a little more inventive though. As a whole, she definitely has potential. Toy can be found on the web via Sound Cloud and YouTube. Additionally, she runs a blog called My Ears To Yours which can be found here. -MinM
