(E News/AdMedia/Kathy Hutchins)
There’s a new weekly series for you over on our Instagram feed, “Friday Find.” Each week, we’ll spotlight a song, artist, or record we have on repeat as the weekend blasts off, in a bid to introduce emerging, diverse acts to your music libraries.
This week: Body Count (Remix), by Jessie Reyez, featuring Normani and Kehlani (Single, FMLY, August, 2018.)
Why we’re into it: A defiant late-summer protest anthem for anyone who has felt shamed in a relationship of any kind, “Body Count” raises a big ol’ middle finger to slut-shaming and judgy body norms.
But the big draw is Reyez’s collaborators: First up there’s Normani, best known for her contribution to Fifth Harmony (the now defunct pop girl group), forcefully addressing the silly sexist crap women sometimes endure in relationships: “Funny how you think I need you but honestly, I don’t need anything,” she rasps. “You funny, boy/You were birthed by a woman, show some fucking respect.”
Then enters Kehlani, Oakland-born and queer, jumping into the second verse: “I dodge dick for some pussy, something that we can agree on,” she sings. When Reyes joins Kehlani for the chorus, the blissful, cheesy, but oh-so-wonderful love-is-love anthem comes together for a truly universal message: “Time won’t let you stay young/So, we don’t care what they say/We gon’ love who we wanna love.”
Three women, one incredible track. Check it out. We also want to hear from you in the Instagram comments: your suggestions for next week’s pick, or just a simple emoji showing how the music makes you feel. Have a great, pop-tastic weekend.
