After dabbling in gospel music on the I Need an Angel album, Season 2 American Idol winner Ruben Studdard returned to R&B for his third album, The Return. “Change Me” was the album’s first single, however the album’s second single, “Make Ya Feel Beautiful,” is the pick for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Ruben linked up with producer Shea Taylor for the song production while Ne-Yo handled the writing. Ruben eases into the first verse, “First off let me start by saying I ain’t trying to get in your jeans. First I’d rather learn your ups and downs and everything in between” and it comes off as organic and natural. Taylor’s lush arrangements give Studdard a chance to show out vocally without ever over-signing the song. Outside of “Make Ya Beautiful” though, there was not anything memorable on The Return, due to the producer’s inability to connect with the singer.
Early comparisons likened Studdard to a Luther Vandross, or Teddy Pendergrass due to his keen talent for singing ballads. Studdard could have a substantial career as a balladeer and songs like this validated that. Given that Studdard has an old soul, his label should have pushed him more in that direction.
However, Studdard is a natural talent, and it is a shame that his career never really took off, despite his later offerings (notably 2013’s Unconditional Love) properly using his voice with adequate production.
Nevertheless, “Make Ya Feel Beautiful” is a solid slow jam that I revisit fourteen years after release.
Final Grade: B-
“Make Ya Feel Beautiful” from The Return is available on all streaming platforms.
This past Friday marked the 40th anniversary of “The Voice,” a.k.a. Whiney Houston’s self-titled debut album hitting stores. So, in that regard, it was only right to give Nippy her flowers for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
For this weekend’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to take a trip to Motor City and show some love to soul singer Dwele. It was 2005, and I was living in the UK as part of my Air Force enlistment. Dwele had just released his second album, “Some Kinda,” enjoying some chart success with the lead single “I Think I Love U,” by Mike City.
The remainder of the album maintains a classic R&B vibe, showcasing the group’s signature sound. One of the standout tracks is “Maybe Tomorrow,” featuring the iconic Phyllis Hyman. It transforms difficult circumstances into positive outcomes—essentially making lemonade from lemons.