The Bottom Line
A good deal rides on an American Idol's first commercial single. Past finalists who have failed to see early success typically struggle to regain traction and eventually fade into obscurity. Knowing this, Jordin Sparks, America’s favorite 17-year-old balladeer plays to her strengths, releasing a strong down tempo number while channeling early Mariah Carey.
Listen to "Tattoo"
Pros
- Jordin’s powerful, bittersweet vocal
- Strong emotional inflection
Cons
- Sappy lyrical content
- We've heard it before
Description
- Percussion identical to Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable”
- Reflecting on the past while moving forward
- Spotlights Sparks’ beautiful lower and middle vocal ranges
Guide Review - Jordin Sparks - Tattoo
Jordin Sparks’ season 6 American Idol victory can mostly be attributed to her uncanny gift to cover ballads with that powerful set of pipes. On this lead single from her post-Idol debut, Jordin elects to give fans more of what they like with “Tattoo,” a catchy, down tempo track crafted by the red-hot production duo StarGate.
Throughout “Tattoo,” Sparks gorgeously reflects on a burnt out relationship over melancholy strings and piano. Whether genuine or not, the songstress has a gift for pouring just the right amount of emotion into each lyric. Even with cheesy, cringe-inducing lines such as “You’re on my heart just like a tattoo,” Jordin is able to sell the track by singing each word like she means it.
Although it will certainly be interesting to hear what Jordin can do on an up tempo record, it is still nice to hear what she does best. There is certainly nothing wrong with playing it safe early on in what appears to be a very promising career ahead.
