Kai Rose – Truth Hurts (Official Video)

Though admittedly not traditional or ‘pure R&B,’ Kai Rose’s Truth Hurts is a charming song. It is one of those tracks that’s clearly new but feels familiar, and that’s a good thing.

Truth Hurts presents Kai Rose effortlessly riding the waves of the sparsely-produced track, matching her voice and youthful approach to the pop-infused, R&B sound that is somewhat reminiscent of the blending of pop, R&B, and alternative sounds that dominated the 1990s and the early 2000s. Essentially, the track is a throwback with a fresh feel that brings a new perspective to a tried and true sound.

If we were to compare it to anything that came before, the track feels much like a breezy summer song performed with a vocal clarity reminiscent of a Vanessa Carlton (A Thousand Miles) with the production tones of Samantha Mumba (Gotta Tell It) and M2M (Mirror Mirror), albeit sounding far less over-produced as it is Kai Rose’s voice that drives the production and sound of the track.

With 45,000 views and counting since the release of the official music video approximately two months ago, it is clear that the track is a winner with music fans. The release has been met with positive reviews. Fans, casual listeners, and critics alike are praising not only the song’s message, musical approach, and vocal performance, but also the appropriate simplicity and complementary quality of the visuals. If this is only the beginning, it is clear a star is born. If she continues on this trajectory, Kai Rose could prove to be a modern-day pop-star reminiscent of the stars that ruled the airwaves in the late 90s and early 2000s.