Summer Walker became a hot topic in the music industry when her debut single, “Girls Need Love,” caught the hearts of listeners – girls and guys alike – back in 2018. Since then, the R&B singer has garnered a considerably large fanbase with her soft, feminine aesthetic and mellow, melodic tunes, all layered with the singer’s own tender honesty about the frustrations of dating and love as a woman in a world that doesn’t seem encourage it. Her message clearly resonated with millions, as “Girls Need Love” went platinum and peaked at number eight on Billboard’s Hot R&B charts. But Walker’s potential didn’t end with her single; earlier in October, she released her debut album Over It. The album received considerable success, as it debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard 200, punctuating Walker’s monumental rise to the top with the largest streaming week for an R&B album by a female artist.
Courtesy: LYRICSFA
In an article by the New Yorker, Walker is praised for Over Its sex-positive element, a distinct characteristic of her aesthetic that has all but disappeared from the genre of R&B. Like her crooning criticism in “Girls Need Love” that speaks of the unfair emotional and sexual labor often forced onto women (Girls can’t never say they want it/ Girls can’t never say how / Girls can’t never say they need it / Girls can’t never say now), Over It relishes in expressing the difficulties of engaging with love honestly without losing to it as well.
Courtesy: Genius
In a space oversaturated with female artists singing their pain while also relinquishing power and autonomy when pursuing romance, NPR recently heralded Over It as a moment in music. Slow-burning melodies like “Just Might” and “Riot” follow in step with the likes of works like SZA’s CTRL. “Just Might” emphasis on feelings of defeat when wanting to be uplifted, recognized and trusted by partners who don’t seem to want to reciprocate love and respect. (What am I missin’?/ Always takin’ L’s every time I got with a [man] / That just don’t waste a day gone / What am I missin’?) simultaneously expresses those difficult feelings of powerlessness while also channeling that defeat into sexual liberation. Walker’s gentle, yet firm approach to dismantling the image of women in the R&B industry has been thoroughly extolled. As written in the LA Times, where she is called the new ‘R&B It Girl’, the artist has gained considerable recognition for achieving with Over It a sound that will continue to propel her into a career with the potential for lasting and iconic success.
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