Far from a newbie to the music industry, late bloomer Mila J is certainly past due for stardom. With over two decades of industry experience and a handful of gigs under her belt, surprisingly the proud L.A. native hasn’t had instant stardom handed to her on a silver platter. Instead, Mila J’s career has taken a more gradual route throughout the years with success at arm’s reach, but her career not strong enough to grasp a firm hold. Will that change?
After a well-needed hiatus to regroup and discover her musical direction as an artist, Mila J now presents a five-track visual EP M.I.L.A. (Made In Los Angeles) to capture the music world’s short-lived attention span. Finally parting ways from T.U.G., which birthed several short-lived, one-hit acts in the early 2000s by Chris Stokes, the crooner has refreshed her track record with a new deal at Motown Records.
Although the singer still has ties with Stokes and his Silent Partner Records, Mila J is now in the leadership of Motown with its legendary roster of R&B greats setting an example that she can hopefully follow. With this much-needed career move and the strategic plan to revamp the Mila J brand with a visual EP, much is to be proved and learned with this project. The crooner is here to prove that her capabilities have no set limit.
Even though the “M.I.L.A.”‘s release date was delayed, the singer has aimed to make it worth the wait with a visual experience to birth each track to life. Hopefully, this EP will set the platform for Mila J to deliver something different from what most listeners have heard from the singer over the years. Let’s hit play and see if the 30-year-old delivered as promised.
The Pre-Game.
“M.I.L.A.” starts off strong with two up-tempo tracks setting the tone for the 5-cut EP. The sultry crooner meets listeners at the front door of Club Main with her heavy-spun, popularized track “My Main.” Like a glass of water offered at the first visit to one’s home, Mila J embraces listeners with the warm welcome of a familiar track to get listeners comfortable for what lies ahead. Following her ride-or-die Ty Dolla $ign assisted anthem, Mila J completes the second-half of her turnt up pre-game with “Champion” assisted by Atlanta rapper B.o.B.
Although aiming to become a champion in the music game, the seductive tune “Champion” deems Mila J a defender behind closed doors, where the bedroom is the boxing match. You just may need Pay-Per-View to gain access to this one, even Mila J says so herself. The seductive driven track is bathed in sultry lyrics that are drowned out by the sounds of strong 808-instrumentation. On this potential single track, Atlanta and L.A. fuse together nicely for an energetic fusion like two nuclear protons in an atom.
The Calm After The Storm.
After two turnt up records, Mila J winds it down for the next few tracks, showing a more sensitive persona displaying emotions of perseverance and later heart-break. Supplying listeners with a beautiful ballad, “Times Like These,” the 30-year-old singer shows that she is a true fighter for love. “I’m in it for the long haul, if you fall, I fall, then we both fall,” croons the singer. This track allows listeners to witness a soother side of the tomboy singer showcasing her unique blissful tone.
“Pain In My Heart,” the next track, expresses heartbreak of love unreturned. On the mellow tune, Mila J lets her hardcore shell crack open letting insecurity and doubt seep in. Now hooked in by Cupid himself, she can’t seem to find the strength to pull Cupid’s arrow out of her heart. Fellow California artist Problem drops a couple of bars giving a male perspective to the situation at hand.
Concluding the 5-cut EP is the first single from the collection “Smoke, Drink Break-Up,” a track that hits home for the singer. “Smoke, Drink, Break-Up” is more than just a catchy tune, it’s a true story based on one of Mila J’s most recent relationships where substances were used just to cope with the dysfunctional relationship. “The fact that you realize that you have to do that to deal with that person, that’s not healthy,” said Mila J in a Hot 97 interview. This 90’s inspired tune is another track that shows the underrated vocal ability of the 30-year-old seasoned artist as she sings through her real life experience.
Even though Mila J has been in the industry for a plethora of years, there’s still not much that we knew about the California native prior to this EP. This well put together project gave listeners an opportunity to get to know the singer and see many layers as a person and as an artist. Even though her music is still a work in progress, the project shows noticeable growth and potential. Motown is on the right track with the singer and we can’t wait for more development to manifest. With a few spins of “M.I.L.A.,” you will appreciate the singer’s artistry and musical growth as well.
