Kelly Rowland, Coffee | Track Review 🎵

Grammy winner Kelly Rowland returns with a sexy new R&B single, “Coffee.”  While respectable, it lacks the wow factor.

Kelly Rowland is back with her first new music of the new decade, “Coffee”! The Grammy-winning R&B singer has kept quite a low profile since releasing Dirty Laundry back in 2013.  While Rowland wasn’t completely off the radar during the span between 2013 and 2020, it would be totally inaccurate to call her relevant, harsh as that may sound. Focusing on the song at hand, “Coffee” checks off many of the expected boxes for a KR song, though it doesn’t move the needle.

“Coffee” is a brief record.  Sometimes brevity serves well, while at others, it can underwhelm.  In this case, Kelly Rowland gets her point across – the familiar topic of sex – but I’d argue she doesn’t land that TKO.  She sings quite well, showcasing her sexy, seductive tone, but the performance isn’t game changing.  If anything, Rowland might be a bit too ‘casual,’ even if she’s opting for that cool, calm, and collected sexy R&B vibe.  As far as the sound, Kosine gives her a respectable backdrop, heavy on keyboards and synths that are idiomatic of the urban music script.  I will say, one element I really dig are the layered vocals; a winning touch.

Lyrically, as aforementioned, sex is the modus operandi. “Coffee and sex in the mornin’” is the first line that Rowland serves up, so, the cards are revealed from the start.  Later, moments like “They say morning wood do a body good, babe / Clearly you agreed, don’t be tryna leave” confirm her intentions. Hey, she is known for risqué gems like “Motivation” and “Kisses Down Low.”

Final Thoughts

Does Kelly Rowland score a hit with “Coffee?” It’s respectable, sexy, and not far removed from many of her sexy songs of the past, but it doesn’t wow per se.  Rowland could’ve used a more overt banger – something more unexpected perhaps – to help her reestablish herself in an ever-changing music landscape.  Nothing wrong with the taste of the coffee, but more cream and sugar would’ve been nice.

Kelly Rowland • “Coffee” • KTR • Release: 4.17.20

Photo Credit: KTR