The voice and face of so many teenage memories, it’s better not to think about how nearly two decades have passed since Brandy’s unforgettable The Boy Is Mine was released in 1998. But now, she is back(!) and it looks like the R&B superstar has got the blues. Beggin’ & Pleadin is the first solo track Brandy has released since 2012, and comes off the back of the launch of her new BET show, Zoe Ever After.
Complete with a walking bass line and a guitar riff straight out of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s back pocket, Beggin’ & Pleadin brings together Brandy’s R&B stylings with real deep blues.As the title would suggest, the song is the classic story of a troubled relationship. Lyrical themes like walking out of doors and getting down on knees round out the feel, and not forgetting the essential blues call of “It’s a shame”. Chorused backing vocals feel like her hits of old, but work surprisingly well with this new feel as well. And Brandy’s sassy vocals feel completely at home extolling the traditional blues verses. Produced by Philadelphia’s Pop & Oak, Beggin’ & Pleadin even feels like new territory for the duo who have turned their hand to Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande and Rihanna, amongst others.
The track first appeared on Brandy’s Soundcloud after the premiere of her new TV show, Zoe Ever After. A Facebook note next to teaser of the track stated that the song is “based on a true story” and went on describe how as Brandy “grew through the subject matter of this song, I realized that I needed ME to forgive me for not believing what I felt!!!”
It might feel like a new direction for the singer, but maybe only the blues could do justice to Beggin’ & Pleadin. Setting aside the general excitement of the return of one of R&B’s golden era artists, Brandy’s new sound is totally addictive. Full of sass and classic sounds, Beggin’ & Pleadin is set to become an anthem for pissed off women everywhere singing into their hairbrushes.
Better keep that hairbrush to hand for this one as well…