Jennifer Paige, singer of the ubiquitous (and, over a decade later, still highly listenable) “Crush,” has returned.
Not that she’s gone anywhere, really: The Atlanta-bred singer-songstress has been churning out singles and studio albums (including a Christmas album!) ever since her 1998 self-titled debut. But nothing’s stuck quite as strongly on the charts as her debut single.
Perhaps, however, all that’s about to change.
For her grand re-emergence in 2013, Paige has paired up with singer-songwriter/attractive person Coury Palermo, who recently appeared on “The Only One”—a favorite from Morgan Page‘s fantastic 2012 studio album, In The Air.
The duo first came together in 2010, then called The Fury, and dropped a few Christmas-themed tracks over the next few years. They’ve since repackaged themselves as Paige & Palermo, and are now prepping the release of a new EP called Stay, due out on June 4.
“Believe,” which you can now hear below, is one of the cuts from their upcoming EP. But let’s manage expectations: If you’re expecting a sugary-sweet sequel to “Crush,” you can stop now.
The duo’s new track is a bit mystical, mysterious, atmospheric and electronic all at once, recalling a bit of the spiritual awakening of Madonna‘s Ray Of Light. “Something tells me I’m not alone in this/You’re taking it to the edge and back again,” the two dreamily croon in unison across the melodic chorus. Their voices blend together wonderfully — the duo idea was clearly a good call.
The production is refreshingly Top 40 radio cliché-free, and the vocal delivery is solid. What’s not to like?
Stay will be released on June 4. (iTunes)
