Amber Rose – “Fame”
For those who haven’t already heard of Amber Rose, she’s the fiercely bald model/socialite/arm candy–formerly of Kanye West, now of Wiz Khalifa–who’s been featured in videos for superstars including Nicki Minaj (“Massive Attack”) and Ludacris (“What Them Girls Like”), and currently the face (and body) of Smirnoff’s new national ad campaign.
Like all good society women do, (Paris, Heidi, we love you!), Rose announced earlier in 2011 that she was getting serious about music (she even quit smoking!), stepping into the studio to work on an upcoming debut for 2012.
Well, it’s finally happening, as the socialite-turned-songstress has just debuted her first-ever single: “Fame.”
Although the cover art and title are a bit of a shameless homage to Grace Jones (which she’s already done a few times before, Island Life style), the sound is nowhere near Miss Jones’ avant-pop territory. Nor is it a throwaway club-pop track drenched in Auto-Tune that might have been upchucked by one of the cast members of any given Real Housewives series.
Instead, “Fame” is a light electro-R&B breeze about flashing lights and the public’s scornful eye. As it turns out, Amber Rose commands a lush, wispy coo a la Queen Cassie that carries the song quite pleasantly: “This is a new situation/Now you’re an overnight sensation,” Rose lightly sings over the pulsing synthesizers and twinkling electronica.
“You’re not ready for the fame,” Rose later croons during the song’s dreamy chorus. Although she’s certainly no powerhouse chanteuse (was anyone actually expecting that?), and the song isn’t much deeper lyrically than the stuff of Heidi Montag’s flaw-free fame fest Superficial, “Fame” is still a solid debut effort that will earn Rose some newfound fans–and of course, keep those haters staying mad.
Coupled with the fact that her boyfriend Wiz Khalifa (who also makes an appearance for a brief guest verse) has her heading into the studio with some notable producers and songwriters, Rose’s full-length debut might actually be something seriously worth clamoring about.
Now, can someone please tell Amber Rose why she should probably stop calling her fanbase her “Rosebuds”?
