Photo Credit: Instagram, @torikelly
Grammy-winning singer Tori Kelly’s self-titled EP ‘tori’ feels nostalgic all around, mixing pop, R&B, and afrobeats. Kelly paired up with Long Island native Jon Bellion to create one of her most authentic projects to date. “In some ways, I’m simply going back to my roots. This music makes me feel confident in my own skin. Feels like I’m finally stepping into myself as Tori,” Kelly said on an Instagram post. The EP was set to be released despite Kelly being in the hospital for unexpected blood clots, according to Billboard. Fans all over the world were concerned, but she is now back in better shape and is healthy. She recently finished her US “Take Control” tour.
The EP opens with “cut,” one of the faster paced songs on the entire project. She gets assistance from the notable artist, Timbaland, with ad-libs to give a dose of the 90s. Kelly suggests that she’s one-of-a-kind and that her love is irreplaceable. “Cut” is lively and confident. Then, it transitions into ‘missin u’ where she reminisces on the memories she’s shared with a past lover. “It was the perfect night kissin u, was raining purple skies in my room” is my favorite part of the song following the harmonies toward the end. “Shelter” is ultra-romantic and is a song I instantly fell in love with upon hearing a snippet on TikTok. The lyrics are clever and Kelly’s vocals shine the most in this song, especially with the guitar riff at the end. She sang, “Lemme provide you a life raft, I know you’re alive, but you could be livin.”
On “unbelievable,” Tori featured beloved Nigerian singer, Ayra Starr. This track surprised me the most, realizing how fitting afrobeats are for Kelly’s sound. Kelly and Starr delivered vocals that blended so well. On “alive if I die,” Kelly expresses being consumed by her partner’s intense love, comparing them to ecstasy. Her duet “young gun” with John Bellion is a song that I continuously skipped, but I’m glad I gave it a chance. It’s a melancholy track about the pain felt after hearing their partner has found a new love, a feeling most can relate to. Still, their vocals shine brightly. The EP closes with an R&B edit of “missin u” which has a more chill vibe and includes a new verse from Kelly that even references her 2015 hit single, “Nobody Love.”
It’s been a long time since I listened to Tori Kelly and this EP makes me appreciate her more as an artist. She is insanely talented and her vocals are beyond stellar. I’m excited for any future projects that she will release. Perhaps her next project will be fully R&B. And hopefully, it’ll be a full-length album.
