It’s the pigheadedness of the Spotify phone app that actually led me to a surprise. I wanted to listen to the new EP by R&B singer Case, on which I’ll be blogging later, but Spotify decided to kick off its own playlist of various suggested artists instead. I never waited to see if it would actually start playing what I wanted to hear, but I did hang around for one suggested track, because it was by a vaguely familiar name: Stevie B. It’s a name I had not heard for many, MANY years.
The only song I know by Stevie B is “Because I Love You”. I wasn't even sure if it was one and the same guy, but judging from the picture, and my faint memory of what he looked like, it could be.
The ballad, “Because I Love You”, had caught my attention when it was released in 1990. It was just that kind of music I was into, at the time, and I think I would've loved his material from before and after this song, had I known about it too.
As far as I knew he was a one hit wonder who came and went, but after a bit of Googling and YouTubing, it was confirmed that it was him suggested by Spotify with a dance track called “When The Lights Come Down”. The song is catchy, modern and, for some reason, it doesn't sound like a singer trying to make a comeback and hooking up with the latest young producers to do so. It actually sounds like someone who’s been around all these years. A natural fit.
To my surprise, he actually has an extensive music career as a songwriter, producer and singing, dating back to 1987. He’s even noted to have played an impressive part in the rise of high energy pop music that led to sub genres like New Jack Swing later.
Over the years, he's never stopped releasing music and has grown along with the dance-pop scene (with a nod to r&b). In fact, he’s so prolific at his craft that “When The Lights Come Down” is not even the only song already released this year. Not by far! Alongside, the new, modern material – like his previous song “Never Gonna Let You Go” - Stevie B is also keeping his old legacy alive by releasing remixes of his old stuff. All in 2017. In the first 3.5 months of this year, he's already dropped 6 tracks. So, never underestimate a so-called one hit wonder. There could be more that meets the eye.
