
High school senior Kristi Hoopes is not your average seventeen-year-old. Currently living in Colorado, this amazingly accomplished young woman has already released two singles and has gotten recognized by many people in the music industry. Her debut single was recorded in the famous RCA Studio A, and won Lyricord's first songwriting contest. "At Least It's Something" was a Michelle Branch-turned-country influenced song, which explored her breakup ballad potential. This new single is more pop influenced, more upbeat, and more empowering.
"In My Own Sweet Time," written by Jennette McCurdy (Nickelodeon star who ventured into the country music world with her self-titled debut album), Jon Randall (Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley), and Jessi Alexander (Blake Shelton, Miley Cyrus) is a new sound for Hoopes. Her debut was very heavily country influenced, and was no doubt a country song. The genre label for this track is a bit blurrier, but that does not always hurt, in the pop influenced world of country radio today.
With a Speak Now era Taylor Swift sound with the honest lyrics of Cam, this song is one sure to connect with all young people. The chorus plays on the quote:
"Sing like no one is listening.
Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Dance like nobody’s watching,
and live like it’s heaven on earth."
Hoopes adds her own spin to that classic saying. Her voice is distinct yet not overly different, which could end up working in her favor in the long run. Despite the fact that she did not write this track, vocally it sounds like she relates to the song more than she did to her debut. There is more emotion, and it sounds like she completely understands the songs topic, because she is living it. From her vocal performance, it is clear that this song is more Kristi Hoopes, and should be the direction she goes in as she hones her unique sound and continues her music career.
Overall rating: 4 crowns
With a Speak Now era Taylor Swift sound with the honest lyrics of Cam, this song is one sure to connect with all young people. The chorus plays on the quote:
"Sing like no one is listening.
Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Dance like nobody’s watching,
and live like it’s heaven on earth."
Hoopes adds her own spin to that classic saying. Her voice is distinct yet not overly different, which could end up working in her favor in the long run. Despite the fact that she did not write this track, vocally it sounds like she relates to the song more than she did to her debut. There is more emotion, and it sounds like she completely understands the songs topic, because she is living it. From her vocal performance, it is clear that this song is more Kristi Hoopes, and should be the direction she goes in as she hones her unique sound and continues her music career.
Overall rating: 4 crowns