The Bottom Line
19 year old Kristinia DeBarge has the family legacy and the music industry professionals behind her to have better than a fair shot at success. However, she needs something more inspiring than "Goodbye." It sounds like everything else at the top of the charts today, but it's at the cost of anything distinctive.
Pros
- Ultra-familiar Steam "Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye" hook
- Pleasing voice
Cons
- Martial beat begins to thud
- Unimaginative use of the classic hook
- Transparently Rihanna-esque
Description
- Written by Antonio Dixon, Eric Dawkins, Damon Thomas, Adonis Shropshire, Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer, and Paul Leka
- Produced by The Pentagon and Babyface
- Released by Island Def Jam April 2009
Guide Review - Kristinia DeBarge - "Goodbye"
Kristinia DeBarge may definitely one day become a pop star. She is the oldest child of James DeBarge of the successful R&B/pop family group DeBarge. She looks great and has a pleasing voice, and, perhaps most important, she has major figures in the music industry behind her not the least of which is music mogul, producer, and performer Babyface. However, all of that makes it more of a mystery why "Goodbye" is so uninspiring.
The song is built around the hook of Steam's classic #1 pop hit "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." Here that sounds like one too many cute retoolings of pop classics. The martial beat becomes a tiring thud by song's end. Finally, the Rihanna-esque vocal moves only make Kristinia DeBarge sound faceless.
A debut album on Babyface's new Sodapop Records label is expected this summer. Let's all hope for a collection of material that showcases DeBarge's voice in a way that sounds distinctive and gives her real songs to interpret. The Island Def Jam group is highly experienced at breaking young talent. Kristinia DeBarge deserves a better effort.
