The wait for Teyana Taylor’s debut album has been difficult but on Nov. 4th it finally arrived. After several years of working with different labels, choreographing for Beyonce, starring in movies and making business endeavors; Taylor is focused on music and ready to put her infamous first single “Google Me” to rest and show her true artistry.

If you’ve been keeping up with the “VII” previews then you know that Taylor was going for a dark, noir Sin City type visual while taking us back to the 90s when R&B ruled the charts. That old school influence is apparent when the first track “Outta My League (Interlude)” starts. Taylor’s voice always gives me a slight Lauryn Hill vibe and you can really hear it on this track.

Taylor slyly coos about a boy who is out of her league which in reality seems impossible (I mean check out her instagram and you’ll understand what I mean) but this track is a nice introduction to the album. “Just Different” is just as laid back as the intro giving listeners a chance to hear Taylor’s low, sensual voice.

The next track, sounds like Taylor took a page from Janet Jackson’s velvet rope era. I’m feeling these tracks but I’m ready to hear something a little more uptempo until “Do Not Disturb” comes on. I knew that “Do Not Disturb” would be a problem from the visual previews she gave us weeks before the album dropped.

“Do Not Disturb” was made for the bedroom and having that feature from Chris Brown basically seals the deal for this bass-heavy banger. Taylor keeps the features coming with “Broken Hearted Girl” featuring Fab. This track may be one of my favorites on the album because it strays away from the obvious title that can be heard from every other scorn singer out there.

You ain’t gotta waste time sending me roses
They gon’ die anyway, man that’s just boring

 

Taylor lets her man know she understands the game and doesn’t want to end up with the role of a broken-hearted girl. Fab’s verse is perfect addition to the song and doesn’t feel like it was added as a way to generate buzz. Taylor adds some Island flavor to “Put Your Love On” and by the time we get to the middle of the album, it’s apparent that Taylor really wanted to create a cohesive work of art. The R&B sound can be heard throughout and tracks like “Dreams” “Business” and “Sorry” help craft a lane for Teyana Taylor as an authentic R&B artist that knows what she’s doing.

“VII” is a perfect introduction to Teyana Taylor, the artist. It seems like Taylor used these past several years to figure out who she wants to be as an artist. Artists like Janet Jackson, Brandy, Lauryn Hill influenced Taylor’s throughout her career and having that background knowledge of those artists should Taylor gain fans from music lovers that aren’t feeling the music dominating the charts from right now. I’m excited to see what Taylor does with this album when it comes to live performances and music videos. Plus if you’re getting cosigns from Yeezy than your obviously doing something right!

 

Score: 8/10

Must Hear Tracks: Broken Hearted Girl, Business, Maybe, Outta My League, Dreams, Do Not Disturb

What do you think of “VII”? Let me know in the comments!

Buy “VII” on iTunes: HERE

Stream on Spotify: HERE