Ariee’s Fiya EP opens with its title track, which includes the sound of a male voice at its outset. It’s a love song, of sort, as it focuses on passion for a singular individual. There’s nothing like fire (or fiya) to help describe the heat created between two people. She’s certainly hot for someone. The song is midtempo, with sparse music and steady percussion. One also hears Ariee backing herself up, vocally. Thus, this six-song project begins with its temperature raised.
Next up, “I Like It” begins with keyboard. Once again, the arrangement avoids over busyness, and is instead built around limited percussion. It also features Ariee’s best vocal on the project. One called “Glow” rolls to a slightly old school R&B groove. It also finds her singing a higher register during the choruses, which are a nice contrast to her lower singing on the song’s verses. “Complicated” shows a slightly different side of Ariee’s singing. Although the track is built around a finger snap rhythm, her vocal is a nice, earthy and slightly jazzy tone. Ariee also backs herself up vocally on this track.
As an artist, Ariee’s is quite the businessperson. She signed a distribution deal with Ingrooves Universal under her self-named label, Ariee Music Group LLC in 2009. She’s even recorded with superstar rapper, Lil Wayne on one called “’Till She Lose Her Voice.” And she’s not just about making music. She also has her own beauty product company, Fox & Co. Beauty.
The album closes with “Hot n Heavy,” which comes in, well, hot and heavy. It is the project’s most groove-oriented track. It’s danceable and includes bright, keyboard sounds driving it. One of the album’s singles is titled “Sugar Daddy.” It’s an unabashed description of a girl that is hyper focused on living luxurious life. She wants to drive nice cars and only fly first class. Poor guys need not apply for her affection. There are guys out there to give her all the trinkets and expensive gifts she requires. She promises to give him “something better,” if the guy gives her the good stuff she wants.
Airee sets a consistent tone on her Fiya EP. She has a strong singing voice and shows plenty of personality during “Sugar Daddy.” Whether this is her actual personality or a character she’s playing, is debatable. However, she sure is believable while singing “Sugar Daddy.”
This project opens with its title track, Fiya, and closes with “Hot n Heavy.” Clearly, coming off as hot is essential to Airee’s artistic persona. Whether it’s hot sounds, hot looks or even hot beauty products, she has set her expectations high. Only the future will tell if Airee breaks through big time in the music, or – perhaps – finds her own sugar daddy to give her everything she wants. However, her business ambitions suggest she’s not waiting for anybody’s help. She’s well on her way to creating her own success. She’s starting her own fire, so to speak, so we’ll watch and see how far and wide that fire spreads. But her future looks bright, like a fiery torch, right now.
Listen to Airee's tracks here:
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-Dan MacIntosh