
It's been a long road for Danielle Bradbery. In 2013 (has it really been four years?) she became the youngest person to win The Voice, and went on to release her debut record that same year. But since then? Bradbery has been a question mark. She released "Friend Zone" in 2015, which was panned by critics and fans alike. That brings us to now, as Danielle Bradbery has FINALLY released the first single off of her new project, a song she wrote titled "Sway," indicating the direction of her sophomore record.
"Sway" itself is very directed at the live show, as that's how fans learned about the track for the first time. On tour, Bradbery would dance around the stage, doing a little sway during the chorus and encouraging fans to join in. But it still holds up in the recording, unlike many live-show directed tracks. There isn't a whole lot about this song that screams country, but the guitars are pretty stripped down, allowing Bradbery's The Voice-winning vocals to be the centerpiece.
The question that lingers in my mind is why this song was released over "Potential." Historically, ballads have not been great for country radio, but for women, this hasn't been the trend lately. "Every Little Thing," a ballad by Carly Pearce is the newest On The Verge song. And you can't forget the success of "Burning House" by Cam, or "Peter Pan" by Kelsea Ballerini (while not a ballad, a more serious and slower song for her). "Potential" is the song that has created the most buzz around Bradbery. It's the song that make fans remember why they have waited four years for new music. The radio potential in "Sway" is obvious, especially as summer is coming up and this is definitely a summer song. But "Potential" has a crafted song, is miles above "Sway."
The hope is that the success of this song will allow Bradbery to finally release her record, and put out songs that are Grammy worthy like "Potential."
Overall rating: 3 ½ crowns
The question that lingers in my mind is why this song was released over "Potential." Historically, ballads have not been great for country radio, but for women, this hasn't been the trend lately. "Every Little Thing," a ballad by Carly Pearce is the newest On The Verge song. And you can't forget the success of "Burning House" by Cam, or "Peter Pan" by Kelsea Ballerini (while not a ballad, a more serious and slower song for her). "Potential" is the song that has created the most buzz around Bradbery. It's the song that make fans remember why they have waited four years for new music. The radio potential in "Sway" is obvious, especially as summer is coming up and this is definitely a summer song. But "Potential" has a crafted song, is miles above "Sway."
The hope is that the success of this song will allow Bradbery to finally release her record, and put out songs that are Grammy worthy like "Potential."
Overall rating: 3 ½ crowns