Rihanna vs. Ryland James | Head 2 Head 🗣️

In the 8^th edition of Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️ (2023), Rihanna and Ryland Jam contend for the best rendition of “Love On The Brain.”

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  In the 8^th edition of head 🗣️2 head 🗣️ (2023), 🎙 Rihanna and 🎙 Ryland James contend for the best rendition of 🎵 “Love On The Brain”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Rihanna, “Love On The Brain”

💿 Anti • 🏷 Westbury Road Entertainment / Roc Nation • 📅 2016

“And you got me like, oh / What you want from me?” On the stellar 🎵 “Love on the Brain” (💿 Anti, 2016), an uncharacteristic song for 🎙 Rihanna, she opts for retro-soul 😍. Up until this point, the 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B/pop artist hadn’t dipped her toes into such a soulful, old-school sound.  Ultimately, the result is a truly refreshing top-five pop hit that doesn’t sound the least bit anachronistic. Rihanna pens “Love on the Brain” alongside 🎼 ✍ Joseph Ball and Fred Ball (Ball also produces). As refined as she sounds, she does throw in some colorful language (two fucks and a motherfuckin’ to be precise). While those bombs would be way out of character if this record was recorded in the time it sounds like, they very much capture the contemporary vibes. Furthermore, they bring more punch to the love that Rihanna has… wait for it… on the brain!

Throughout the course of “Love On The Brain,” Rihanna expresses the power and plight of love. “And I tried to buy your pretty heart, but the price too high,” she sings in the first verse, adding, “You love when I fall apart / So you can put me together and throw me against the wall.” Damn! Despite all the playing, Rihanna admits in the chorus, “And I’ll run for miles just to get a taste / Must be love on the brain.” Yep, must be! Of course, it is the f-bomb line, “It beats me black and blue, but it fucks me so good / And I can’t get enough” that captures the extremes she, and many of us, will go through for love.  Vocally, “Love on the Brain” marks one of the best vocals Rihanna has delivered in her illustrious career.  The distinctiveness and maturity of her pipes is utterly impressive.

2. Ryland James, “Love On The Brain”

🎵 “Love On The Brain” • 🏷 21 Entertainment Group • 🗓 2022

It is always intriguing to hear males covers songs originally performed by females and vice versa.  Canadian singer 🎙 Ryland James tips his hat in as a male covering a popular song, 🎵 “Love On The Brain”, originally performed by a female artist, 🎙 Rihanna. In James’ hand, the soulful pop cut feels incredibly natural, as if he could have easily been the original performer.  His tone is incredible, filled with expression and superb nuance on his late 2022 rendition.  Furthermore, his falsetto is lit.  He doesn’t only serve up the falsetto, as the first part of the chorus finds Ryland impressing with his mid register.

Regardless, Ryland is most impressive when the head voice comes into play on “Love On The Brain.” Also impressive are his diction and phrasing.  James even sounds incredibly refined when he drops the colorful f-bombs, including on the chorus (“It beats me black and blue, but it fucks me so good”).  Furthermore, the way he breaks that mf-bomb down syllabically – genius (“What do I gotta do to get in your motherfuckin’ heart?”)! Further making 🎵 “Love On The Brain” a surefire vibe is production, which is a sound reproduction of the original.  Basically, Ryland James recaptures the sentiment of this top 5 pop hit sensationally.

Appears in 🔻:

• Ryland James, “Love On The Brain”: Covers No. 8 (2023)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

🎙 Rihanna or 🎙 Ryland James?  James gives his very best, delivering a masterful cover of “Love On The Brain.” Still, besting Rihanna on one of her very best songs is a gargantuan task.  All said and done, despite the Canadian’s epic vocals, this contentious matchup belongs to RiRi.

Rihanna vs. Ryland James: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 8 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype;  21 Entertainment Group, Westbury Road Entertainment / Roc Nation; andresilva5, Antoni Shkraba via Pexels; andresilva5, talha khalil, Valentin Tikhonov via Pixabay; Nick Wang on Unsplash]