Pop star Selena Gomez strikes gold with sensual single “Fetish,” featuring Gucci Mane.  Think of it as “Good for You” 2.0.   

No, we will not begin talking about another Selena Gomez song where we comment about her vocal limitations.  Oops…Sorry. Honestly, one of the criticisms of the pop star who seems to be a great person and is gorgeous is her voice.  She’s commented on it, and we (the music critics) have also commented on it.  On her latest single “Fetish,” her voice is a pro, not a con.  She’s assisted by mush-mouth rapping sensation Gucci Mane.

There’s plenty of reasons why “Fetish” works.  The first is because of how producers use Selena Gomez.  Yes, vocally she is not a powerhouse, but when her voice is used in a light, seductive, and sensual manner, she slays.  A perfect example of this previous was “Good for You,” one of her best songs to date.  Obviously, a fetish is sexual, and why it may be hard to buy Selena Gomez being this incredibly risqué artist, she has enough personality and the right kind of voice to pull it off.  Long story short, her voice doesn’t hold her back here.

The production work is solid, setting up “Fetish” as this naughty, but not oversexed single.  Yes, this is all about sex, but for whatever reason, it feels innocent. Well, maybe innocent isn’t quite the right word. Much like A$AP Rocky served as the rapper to add some extra oomph to “Good for You,” Gucci Mane plays the role on “Fetish.”  Gucci Mane is incredibly prolific, but you wonder why maybe a younger rapper, closer to Gomz’s age wasn’t tapped for this one.

As far as cons, there’s not much to dislike.  Gucci Mane isn’t particularly profound on his verse – he’s done better. That said, if it’s about vibe, he covers the bases.  As a whole, this song is predictable.  The form is what you expect and while Gomez sounds great, there’ll be folks that’ll view this as a copycat of “Good for You.”

Final Thoughts

All in all, Selena Gomez has a hit on her hands with “Fetish.” This type of song suits her voice better than “Bad Liar,” which wasn’t too shabby.  Gucci Mane is forgettable here, but as referenced earlier, quoting 2 Chainz, “it’s a vibe.”

Selena Gomez • Fetish (ft. Gucci Mane) – Single • Interscope • Release: 7.14.17 

Photo Credit: Interscope