If I were a boy is critically acclaimed to be Beyonce’s best vocal performance to date. “The song is one which fits perfectly into her growing repertoire and features a stellar vocal performance” (About.com).

Consequently the indie influence is the same song, If I were a boy, originally written and sung by BC Jean almost a year ago. BC Jean’s story is seen all around underground and indie circuits far to often. When record deals fall through for unknown artists there songs are, often times, shopped around to record companies for established artists. Personally, I feel Beyonce’s vocals were carefully controlled and then forced at the end. She didn’t seam to capture the natural singing ability that BC Jean has.

BC Jean – If I Were A Boy

Bottom Line: If you’re looking to connect emotionally to this song, BC Jean’s raspy voice adds realness to the track.

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) is an extension of the style indicative of Get Me Bodied from Beyonce’s previous album release B’day. If nothing else this song offers something fresh and not comparable to anything on the charts or radio right now. It’s indie counterpart is not quiet the perfect match but it’s just as infectious. I know your girlfriend hates me by Annie is a song that will go in one ear and never out the next. It will have everyone singing “I know your girlfriend hates me/I can see it in her eyes,” without it ever being over played on the radio.  

Annie – I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me

Bottom Line: Listening to Beyonce’s Single Ladies will be a forced addiction aided by radio stations and music channels. I know your girlfriend hates me provides a nice change to welcomed musical addictions.

Britney Spears is making a come back with her new single Womanizer. Aided by the delicately placed staccato beats, robot vocals and dark synths, Womanizer whimsically falls into the ecltro-pop footsteps. The song is catchy enough to hold your attention before you switch the radio dial, but it’s just as easy for this song to turn dull after a few listens. Its indie influence is Erica Jayne’s Rollercoaster. Upon listening to this song you will recognize some electro-pop beats that have been recycled time and time again by established artists including Britney. You will also note the similarities in vocal delivery of the two artists.

01-erika_jayne-roller_coaster_(eric_kupper_clean_radio_edit)

Bottom Line: Music producers go beyond being influenced by the beat of music. They also borrow vocal techniques and time measured song delivery of certain genres like electronica.

This review isn’t just about the single ladies, but also a single gentleman crooning to those independent ladies. Ne-Yo’s new single Miss Independent, is an infectious song with stretched out vocals over a fast paced beat, which is the complete opposite to its indie counterpart. Almost a year ago, Stargate, producer of Miss Independent, worked with indie artist Lil Bit and produced a song for her called Forget about me. The song is a slower version of Ne-yo’s with more emotional clout than Miss Independent.

Little Bit – Forget About Me

Bottom Line: You can’t listen to Forget about me objectively without constantly thinking about Miss Independent.