Track Review: Juice’ – Lizzo

Maybe you need a little bit of juice to get you through the winter? If that’s the case looking for, Lizzo has just the cure.

The Minneapolis rapper/meme legend continues her winning streak with this funk-heavy rap with her latest single “Juice,” an 80’s inspired pop tune.

Her vocals recall Bruno Mars, with a beat similar to Katy Perry-esque pop. The instrumentation is interesting, with synth, trumpet, drums, and a calypso sound sprinkled in.

Lizzo also has a very unique music video, featuring Jane Fonda workout tapes, Soul Glo commercials from Coming To America, and QVC infomercials. Not a ton of videos nowadays would promote the older, vintage, African American type of catalogs she’s acknowledging.

She uses a slang while she raps and just her tone makes it more relatable, especially in 2019. It’s just a fun tune to drive down the highway, top down, singing along having no cares! I could see myself working out or getting ready for a night out with my girls listening to this song!

“Juice” has this vibe that makes me feel empowered and ready to take the day by storm. It uses different types of synths in the production that I actually like because you don’t hear it a lot in new songs today. It brings a different flavor to the melody, which I love.

“Juice” marks the latest in a recent string of singles that includes “Boys”, “Fitness” and “Truth Hurts.” All three tracks are joined by companion visuals, streaming at Lizzo’s official YouTube channel.

“Coconut Oil,” from her Nice Life/Atlantic Records debut EP, was released in October 2016 to unanimous critical praise and popular success. The EP is highlighted by the single, “Good As Hell” also featured on the soundtrack to 2016’s Barbershop: The Next Cut.

Rolling Stone singled out “Coconut Oil” in its Best Pop Albums of 2016, stating that “Despite these albums, pop still remains a genre for singles.”

If we can gather up even a few drops of her freshly squeezed, self loving aloofness to carry us all the way through the year, we should be alright. And it begs this question: Is this tune a timeline for Lizzo’s 2019 domination?

Robyn McDonald
Author:
Robyn "RJ" McDonald is a musician from Paducah, KY, living in Nashville, TN. She began playing drums, keyboards/piano by the age of seven, and studied Videography/Journalism throughout, starting in middle school through high school, and going to SAE Institute of Technology for two Associate's degrees in Audio Engineering/Music Production and Music Business.