Every morning and every evening this past summer, I saw the same face on the way to and from work: Mapei going in, Mapei going out, Mapei going in, Mapei going out, Mapei going in, Mapei going out and so on. The last block I had to traverse to MTV’s downtown Manhattan office space was plastered with posters for every artist from Ariana Grande to FKA twigs, but it was this one of the mysterious Mapei who always caught my eye.
For all the “Simpsons” fans out there, the effect got kind of “GABBO GABBO GABBO” by the end, though I’m happy to report that the material Jacqueline Mapei Cummings delivered is about a thousand times better than some unsettling ventriloquist act. Her debut album, Hey Hey, was released last Tuesday (September 23), and if you haven’t listened to it yet, here are three standout tracks to convince you to do otherwise.
1.) “Don’t Wait”
It’s like there’s a party on my Tumblr dash, and everyone’s invited. But underneath the super-cute styling of, like, literally everyone in this video lies one of the most intimate, affecting songs I’ve heard in a while. When Mapei says “No one’s got your back like I do,” even the most jaded person in the world would believe her.
2.) “Change”
Lest you think she can’t give you vocals, Mapei absolutely explodes out of the frame on “Change.” Performed live for the YouTube channel Transmitter, this rendition of “Change” suddenly winds down at the end, drawing all of its energy inward like the black hole that forms after a star explodes. I don’t even care if that’s not how space works — this song’s really great.
3.) “Believe”
Like on “Don’t Wait,” “Believe” has enough anthemic self-esteem-boosting lyrics to help you power through even the literal worst. “When your back is against the wall/ And you thought you lost it all/ Don’t worry, I’ve been here before, baby.” Cynicism 0, Mapei 742.
No Comments