Joy Crookes – Like Mother Like Daughter, Maturation Of A Strong Young Woman

Two Nights in a Man’s World got her thinking
Singing about what Lover does or what Lover Don’t to please her desires
Reminiscing how silly it feels to sink in the deep of love, in the deep of lust,
Praying Don’t Let Me Down and falling prey to loneliness, with a mist of sadness
Years after years tears dry on their own, yet Joy remains always.

South London based singer-songwriter Joy Crookes has been taking the music industry by storm since 2018 with her debut EP titled Influence. Back in 2019, she’s just released her second EP, Reminiscence, on 25th January 2019, on Insanity Records.

As the Irish-Bangladesh singer explains: “Reminiscence is my second EP and was initially inspired by my first ever trip to Bangladesh a year ago, and feeling so connected to the women that raised me. It’s an EP of love songs but also a personal celebration of history, London and my dual heritage.”

A strong emotional bond can be felt between the songstress and her mother in these two EP. Crookes’ mother appears in her visual for Power, while Mother May I Sleep With Danger? projects a conversation between her and the young and naive daughter she used to be.

The video for Don’t Let Me Down gives tribute to her roots and to her mother’s country, Bangladesh Indeed, the woman with 8 arms stand for Hindu deity Durga, whose regarded as a mother protector. Don’t Let Me Down was written with pain, as you can hear Crookes’ broken-hearted voice, crying her lover not to let her down.

She did suffer of a past relationship. It is then interesting to appear as a Hindu deity, knowing that Durga means “the one who eliminates sufferings”. She’s represented multi-limbed so that she may always be ready to battle evil from any direction.

The songs Joy Crookes writes and sings can be read as beautiful poems, a calligraphy of souvenirs, from her naive years to a more mature state of mind, as a young woman looking for love, for self-love and for the love of her roots.

Personal and sincere, the project holds a whole lot of soul. Plus Joy Crookes sings with a fine taste for Old Soul music. She recalls the likes of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. While Man’s World reminds of the iconic James Brown, she actullay gives tribute to Nina Simone and speaks her piece about a healthy relationship, quoting Eartha Kit.

“Ain’t got no lover (No love)
Ain’t got no time (No time)
Ain’t got no mister to tell me ’bout brand and wine
Ain’t got no lover (Nobody)
Ain’t got no time (No time)
Don’t need no mister to tell me ’bout brand and wine” – Man’s World.

Smooth attitude, nonchalant, her voice is rising effortlessly, and it feels stunningly soothing. The back vocals paint a bright background to the light and colorful instrumentation with the guitar.

The vibe she provides is nothing but mesmerizing.