Samantha Jade may have the appearance of a fresh-faced newcomer in the industry, but she’s been working since 2002. Jade received her first US deal with Jive Records in 2004, but didn’t release any music until two years later. I heard of Jade back in 2006, when her track “Step Up” was the lead single to Step Up’s soundtrack. I’m not ashamed to admit that the solid urban pop single was on one of my mixtapes after I first heard it. Jade faded off the radar in the US after “Step Up.”
Jade released her follow-up single, “Turn Around,” in 2007, but it didn’t achieve much success on the charts. Her debut album, My Name Is Samantha Jade, never got released and Jade ended up getting dropped from Jive. Sammi’s big break came from auditioning for Australia’s X Factor in 2012. After winning the competition, her single released after the show, “What You’ve Done To Me,” went certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). There isn’t always a clear path to success for some artists and it’s great that Jade went through the industry turmoil and came out a winner.
With a contract from Sony Music Australia and a few successful singles (“Firestarter,” “Solider”), Jade is proving her worth as a singer and I’m excited to see how her career progresses. “Sweet Talk” is Samantha Jade’s lead single off her untitled second album, due for release in early 2015. As soon as the production kicks in, I’m reminded of the sugary tracks that filled Carly Rae Jepsen’s album, Kiss, which came out in 2012. Jade cites artists like Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears as inspirations for her sound. The 90s influence can be heard with Jade sounding like Mariah Carey during her “Music Box” era. I’ve also seen people compare the Aussie songstress with current pop powerhouse Ariana Grande because of their airy voices and ability to hit those dog-whistle high notes. Comparisons aside, Jade makes the song her own as she easily tackles the challenging track with her commanding voice.
“Sweet Talk” reaches sickly levels of sweetness as Jade bounces through the chorus, “I want your sweet talk / Talking to me all night / Filling me with love” Jade confesses. The real ear worm comes toward the end of the chorus when Jade extends out “swee-ee-ee-ee-eet talk to me,” and if you don’t remember anything from this song, that ‘sweet’ part of the chorus will never leave your head.
While Jade continues her efforts in succeeding on the Australian charts, “Sweet Talk” has extreme potential to be big in the US. From the production that sounds like your favorite Dr. Luke hit to Samantha Jade herself, a beautiful woman that has the talent to sing live and the look to sell her sweet image. I would love to hear this single in the States. Even though “Sweet Talk” sounds like a summer anthem, maybe it can add a little sunshine to the freezing December weather.