Sabrina Monique “It Was Always You” (SINGLE)

Her single “It Was Always You” carries on a venerable songwriting tradition with character and flair. It’s a song about the aftermath of a relationship when the aggrieved partner realizes, hey, it wasn’t me who had the problem, it wasn’t me who failed “us” – it was you. Songs like this are all about the release arriving from that moment, and Sabrina Monique’s single is cathartic.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheSabrinaMoniqueOnFB/

There’s scathing humor in the song. She is long past the point where she’s willing to suffer fools gladly, and it shows. If you trifle with her heart, it’s your loss, and she has the power of the pop song to make transgressors pay accordingly. “It Was Always You” is a glorious addition to a long list of songs expressing similar sentiments, from men and women alike, and Monique’s stands out above many because so much of her genuine personality emerges in the humor, the heartbreak, and the willingness to tell the song’s subject to take a hike.

The video matches that attitude. She comes across as a confident, emboldened performer in every frame. The clip relies on time-tested elements of the form such as jump cuts, so we’re in familiar territory, yet it achieves a level of stylization that helps it stand apart. The use of color is a big reason why. It is evocatively filmed without ever looking pretentious, and the heated color scheme throughout the footage adds another wrinkle to an already outstanding experience.

The vocal phrasing is a definite highlight for me. Monique exudes compelling verve throughout the verse without losing much during the more traditional singing of the song’s refrain. It is a testament to her talents that she can so capably shift gears. The singing during the chorus, pre-chorus, and elsewhere illustrates her deceptive range; she can really sing with the best working today and should only improve over time.

I get the feeling that as great as this single is, she’s only barely touched on her potential. Future singles and album releases will likely reveal her as a singer capable of tackling whatever material captures her fancy. “It Was Always You” goes places other similar singles don’t explore, and the reason is front and center – Monique’s presence is singular and unshakable. She pulls you into her creative world, and you don’t want to leave. It’s well worth exploring more than once, and I am sure her future efforts will prove every bit as engrossing. “It Was Always You” serves notice that she’ll be in the arena for many years.

Mark Druery