Album Review: Ndidi Onukwulu - The Contradictor

By: Stephanie Cloutier

Ndidi Onukwulu
The Contradictor

(Jericho Beach Music)

SOUNDS LIKE: Our generation's funkier Billie Holiday.

WHY/ WHYNOT: As Amy Winehouse continues to help usher in a wave of strong female vocalists, we hope to hear more talented women who can belt out tunes as well as their predecessors like Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith. No need to look very far: Enter a homegrown talent who has already taken up that challenge, Ndidi Onukwulu.

The Vancouver-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter has the same brassy pipes as the great dames of jazz and blues of the ‘30s and ‘40s, but her sound is uniquely her own. Her silky voice is heard loud and clear, as is her message, seen in the first track, "SK Final," a confident song about overcoming a failed relationship a la Gloria Gaynor, pumped up by horns and catchy guitar riffs. Such an introduction invites the listener down the playlist for a musical ride of songs that showcases her writing abilities and musical influences, all carefully weaved together. Peel back the layers and you can hear influences of jazz, blues, rock, folk, reggae and country.

Her second album is definitely one for the collections: She's a Toronto talent whose voice will no doubt move the mountains.