Album Review

Natalia – Pretty Like Me

• 25th Feb 2008

“Pretty Like Me” is the debut single from Natalia. With a catchy chorus, pounding pace and tongue-in-cheek lyrics it slots nicely into the bracket of “I don’t want to like it yet can’t stop listening” which almost always guarantees chart success. That’s not to say it’s bad, but it is pop and how many adults admit they like Girls Aloud even though their greatest hits can usually be found in their CD collection?

In saying that, while “Pretty Like Me” ticks all the pop success boxes, it doesn’t break any new ground. As if anticipating this, they have bundled with the single the track “Random”, which has a jazzy beat, a catchy riff and vocals that let her get some of that attitude across properly. It is unfortunate that this track has been largely ignored in her advertising as it shows the most promise.

Of other two songs included with the release, “Crawl” gives her more freedom to use her powerful voice in a rock chick guise but “Perfect Day” just sounds like an average album filler. These other tracks show that Natalia has more remit than just being a pop act and with an album that promises a cocktail of genres and a fanbase which has been following her since she topped the MySpace unsigned charts she may do more than just lurk in Rhianna’s shadow in 2008.