There’s no question that Canadian singer Tamia is unsung. While she has six Grammys nominations and numerous other awards, mainstream success has yet to be in the cards. I was a month into my first overseas assignment in England when she released her third album, More.
Tamia was enjoying success from the Hip Hop crowd thanks to her vocals on the Fabolous bop “Into You which was bad on her 1998 “So Into You.” That song set the stage for the first two singles from More, “Officially Missing You” and “Questions.” Both songs received moderate airplay on Urban AC radio stations.
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I decided to give some flowers to the third single, “Still.” The song was written by Johntá Austin, Bryan Michael Cox, and Jermaine Dupri, with the production of Dupri and Cox. a sweet, romantic track about the enduring and unbreakable love she shares with her partner. I’ve always felt that Tamia gave the creatives some insight into her relationship with her husband, Grant Hill, which is why the song comes across so organic.
The song celebrates the fact that their love for each other has only grown stronger over time, despite the challenges that any long-term relationship may face. In the first verse, Tamia speaks about how their love has only improved with time and how they still get excited whenever they are alone.
The chorus reiterates how their love still feels like the first time they met and how they continue to act like teenagers despite being married with children. They talk for hours on the phone while apart, and her partner still writes letters and sends flowers regularly.
Tamia acknowledges that, like all couples, they confront difficulties but never permit those to devastate their relationship. She elaborates on how they manage disagreements and emphasizes how it fortifies their bond. Tamia contemplates that her significant other is still the man she adores and loves.
“Still” is a song that truly showcases the unbreakable strength of genuine love. Tamia and her partner have faced numerous challenges, but their love has only grown stronger as time has passed. The key to their lasting relationship is their unwavering commitment to always showing each other love and respect.
While Tamia hasn’t released a project since 2018, “Still” is a timeless ballad and one of my favorites in her catalog.
Final Grade: A
“Still” from More is available on all streaming platforms.
There are some albums you revisit because of nostalgia, and then there are albums you return to because they remind you just how high the standard used to be. Anita Baker’s Rapture falls into that second category. Released in 1986, the album did more than make Baker a star. It helped define what sophisticated, grown R&B could sound like without losing any soul, sensuality, or personality.
Gwen Stefani had already established herself as a significant force with No Doubt when she released her debut solo album, *Love. Angel. Music. Baby* in 2004. This week, while my iPod was on shuffle, one of my favorite songs from that project, “The Real Thing,” came on. Although the original version has an upbeat new-wave feel, the Slow Jam Mix takes it to another level and is the perfect choice for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Unless you’re a music purist, mentioning Randy Jackson from the famous family is likely to elicit a joke. However, any serious Jackson fan knows that Randy had musical achievements long before the punchlines. Before he was old enough to buy a drink, he had already co-written “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and “Lovely One” with Michael Jackson.