When it comes to some of the best voices in not only R&B and Soul right now, but really all of music. One of the names that should be talked about more and I feel isn’t as much as they should be. Is very amazing singer and songwriter, Mikhala Jené. Her soulfully passionately beautiful angelic voice and vocals. Among the best you will hear now or probably ever.
On Jené’s just a few months ago released major label debut EP, The Missing Peace. Which was released through the historic and legendary, Def Jam Recordings. Jené from the projects opening track, My Rock. To the very next record, The Switch and into the standout, Changes going into previously released single, Human Nature. Sings about her journey in love to find peace and make peace with a lot of the heart breaks and disappointments she has experienced that so many of us can relate to. Not only on the first half of the project with those records, but throughout all eight tracks.
Starting with the very passionately and soulfully magical Deputy-produced, My Rock. Jené so passionately sings with her beautifully soulful passionate angelic vocals about the hard times she had to go through to get and accept herself for the person she is. The beautiful guitar solo from Deputy at the end driving that point home even further. Before so seamlessly going into the very chants heavy backdrop of, The Switch. As, Jené, sings about the unexpected questioning everyone has of her, “faith to love.” The beat switches throughout that is broken down into three or four different parts. Really allowing for Jené to sing and get off her peace of mind. For everyone that keeps questioning her faith and commitment to love. That then perfectly segues into the very thumping drums and other instruments infused backdrop of, Changes. As Jené so effortlessly and beautifully taps into her very divine feminist nature. By singing about the changes she and everyone goes through in love and just as human beings in general. That she wants a potential significant other to do as well, but she knows is too toxic for her to change. So she decides to let go since they wouldn’t change along with her. Which then so beautifully segues into the very beautifully soulful and passionate, Human Nature. That is a partial ode to the late great Michael Jackson’s all-time classic of the same name. Which is only fitting that one MJ inspire another MJ to deliver such a beautifully soulful and passionately addictive vulnerable record. Questioning many of the things we do as part of, “human nature.”
As we switch over to the second half of the EP. Jené continues to get stellar production to really compliment her very soulfully sweet heavenly angelic vocals. Like on the very soulfully jazzy smooth Koncept and Deputy co-produced standout, Add Up To 1. Where the very beautifully talented singer and songwriter, sings so beautifully and passionately about a previous love. She had for, “six long earned years.” That she hoped would lead up to more than it actually did and not, “add up to 1.” The way that Mikhala so passionately with all her soul sings those lyrics towards the end of the record you can hear all of her emotions. To emphasize about her longing for love. So that it wouldn’t add up to only one. The slow strums guitar solo from Deputy in the last few seconds somewhat helping evoke that more too. That then so seamlessly seguing into the more smoother, All I Ever Wanted. Where Jené once again pours all her heart out about the former lover/relationship was in for six long years with. Singing so passionately about all the love she ever wanted in that relationship, but never fully received. Which is why she is no longer in that relationship that gave MJ, “The Carolina Blues.” That’s a clever play on the actual blues she got from that previous heartbreaking relationship and part of the title of her debut EP and project she released back in 2018. On her longtime collaborator, friend and producer, Deputy’s label, Apt. 216. That strong collaborative relationship continued on this recent EP, The Missing Peace. Where Deputy produced on all but one of the eight tracks.
The very soulfully stellar EP closing out with the very beautifully soulful stellar, Black Love and When Bridges Burn. Black Love, finding Jené singing so smoothly and effortlessly about the difficulties that black people with finding love with one another. As well as her full on pride for any and all, “Black Love.” As you would guess from the title of the record. The project so beautifully closes by taking things back to Mikhala Jené’s church choir roots. With the Brian Alexander Morgan-produced, When Bridges Burn. As Mikhala over the very Gospel-infused piano-laden backdrop so beautifully, soulful and passionately sings about not letting love, tears and heartbreak put her down. But be a bridge for her to build herself to be a better and more peaceful person and that heartbreak. Be something for her to learn to love herself more divinely and freely on her own.
Overall, The Missing Peace. Is a truly beautifully soulful stunning and masterpiece project. That truly lets Mikhala Jené shine so passionately. The brightest she has so far in her young, yet already stellar great career. While also showing why Mikhala is among the most brightest and talented vocalists and voices in not only R&B and Soul, but across all of music. Who has a very bright future and will be here for several years and generations to come. The replay value on this EP truly remarkable and why it is just as good. If not better than most album’s too. That shows Mikhala Jené and Deputy’s great chemistry to deliver such timelessly beautiful and passionately amazing music. We can all relate to.