“jem keeps her listeners absorbed throughout the whole of ‘Love Me or Lose Me’, whether it be through vocal variety, the relatability of the lyrics or the irresistibly tuneful choruses.”
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist jem has blended all her prime genres of R&B/soul, Jazz, Pop and Hip-Hop on her debut EP ‘Love Me or Lose Me’, a melodic array of four songs abounding in smooth vocals and ruminative lyricism – including a Shakespearean romance trope.
‘Falling 4U’ was Jem’s May single, and gets the EP off to a rhythmical start. It has an intro full of harmonies. There’s a true soul pop feel here, as well as elements of R&B. jem sounds at ease with her vocals, allowing them to flow elegantly into a higher range before they freely return to her lower range. Already ‘Love Me or Lose Me’ feels so well put together and produced.
In ‘1.18’, the melody weaves in and out of range-flaunting vocals and a rap with a spectacular beat, until they meet towards the end to form a really cool bridge. There’s great lyrics in both sections too, such as ‘and I’m getting lost inside your words, now feelings burning up I don’t wanna burn’ and ‘take me where you’re going, cause it’s where I wanna be’. And then there’s the gorgeous ‘Juliet’, that is based upon a smart analogy and surrounded by a relaxed pop melody. The chorus feels all the more refreshing with back up vocals, which is showcased towards the end of the song.
Talking on the songwriting process, jem said, “it’s important to write honest and raw. If you can make people feel validated and understood, then they can ‘bond’ with your art in the same way that you have.’
jem has definitely displayed this in the first three songs of ‘Love Me or Lose Me’, but she might just do this even more so in ‘Fingertips’. With metaphorical lyricism ‘stuck like a statue, sculptured in place’ that alludes nicely to the meaning and jem’s angelic harmonies making an appearance once again, the song lets vocals guide us into an addictively catchy chorus.
You can listen to the EP here: