Ranika shakes things up w/ release “COME ALIVE”
Ranika is one of those dedicated soul and R&B artists who continues to make up the fabric of Chicago’s music ecosystem. And every time she pops back up with something new, it feels like we’re getting another piece of the story. Her music has consistently explored what it means to exist, evolve, love, and simply move through the world as a Black woman in today’s society. She does it through R&B and soul, but never in a way that feels like she’s forcing a message down your throat. Ranika just sings her truth. And most of the time, she nails it. This new record “COME ALIVE” feels like another evolution..
Immediately, we’re getting early to mid 2000s soul and R&B energy. That era where records had personality. Where vocals actually had room to live. Where a song could feel warm, familiar, and still make you run it back three or four times without thinking about it. Ranika definitely taps into that pocket here. The replay value is crazy, and the details are there. But once again, we have the same problem. We need more music. The record is short. Almost too short. By the time you settle into the mood Ranika is creating, we’re already reaching for the replay button. Now, that isn’t necessarily a bad problem to have, but we want more character. More personality. More of Ranika letting us into her world. If you’ve been paying attention to her past releases, it almost feels like she’s been leaving us a trail. Step by step. Record by record. Quietly showing us where she’s headed creatively without completely revealing the destination. And this record feels like the next chapter..
So, Ranika, Where’s the project? Because at this point, we know the voice is there. We know the soul is there. We know she understands how to create a record with replay value. Now we want the full picture. Give us something that allows us to sit with the character, the personality, and the evolution for longer than a few minutes. We could be wrong, but it definitely feels like Ranika is building toward something. And we’re paying attention..
Take a listen and let us know what you think..