Music Review: Tori Kelly "Nobody Love"

Tori Kelly

Nobody Love

Album: TBA

Year: 2015

            Tori Kelly can’t resist her crush any longer in the flawed “Nobody Love.”

                 Amiable synths open the single, setting a delighted tone.  She doesn’t her emotions towards him. She wants to feel whole and have the storybook romance with someone. However, she usually goes for the safe guys who don’t incite any passion in her. Finally, though, she has her chance. (“Okay okay/Why? Why?/Okay okay/Everybody's looking for that something/No one ever wants to pay the price/Everybody's scared of going nowhere/But we ain't going anywhere tonight.”)

                In the pre-chorus, she really shouldn’t be alone with him. She has a boyfriend. However, as she reminds herself, he is off somewhere. He hasn’t called to even check on her. Her crush, though, is standing before her, letting her vent and saying he loves her. She tried so long to keep her feelings in check. But she can’t hold it in any longer. (“I should be more cynical than tell myself it's not okay/To feel this good when I'm with you,/Tried my best to fight it, say I hate you/But I always stay.”)

                 In the chorus, out of all the people she’s ever been involved with, he’s the only one who has treated her well. (“Ain't nobody love/Ain't nobody love like you do/Ain't nobody love/Ain't nobody love like you do/Ain't nobody love/Ain't nobody love like you do/Ain't nobody love/Ain't nobody love like you do.”)

               He starts talking to her about what he saw on television last night. Finally, she kisses him. He sighs and says “wow” with disbelief. She wants them to actually talk with what’s been going on between them. (“Okay, hold up/Everybody's talking 'bout the next thing/Feel like what they got ain't good enough/But all I wanna do release the tension/Bring the conversation back to us.”)

                     The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.

                    In the bridge, she doesn’t want their relationship to be volatile anymore. She wants to be with him. (“Can we stop all the yelling baby/And hear me out/I want you here and now/Tried my best to fight it, say I hate you/But I always stay/Hey, hey/Yeah, yeah alright/Everybody's looking for that new thing.”)

                           The chorus is sung again to end the single.

                          Kelly is trying really hard to prove herself. Unfortunately, she’s attempting every vocal style she can. She wants to be a diva, she wants to rap a little. It’s great she wants to mix it up. Just not all at once.

                         The inconsistent “Nobody Love” has its moments but not enough to sustain it.