It's no wonder Musiq Soulchild has stood the test of time, through the many changes in the R&B climate throughout the years. Indeed, a lot has changed over the years. Gone are the days of anticipating releases from your favorite artists, because many seemingly shift their focus in response to the fickleness of the industry. As much as you want to blame it on the industry, the fact is the blame lies with the artist. Many have become fixed with trying to fit with the times, and they ultimately lose ground because they're not being authentic. Only a select few artists manage to do their own thing, no matter what, and Musiq Soulchild has remained consistent with that. While he has made subtle changes since his beginning, it hasn't been because of strategy. His changes, growth, and elevation have all been natural, and those things speak volumes to why he's been here so long.
With Life on Earth, Musiq’s signature sound remains intact, and without being predictable, he shows us just why we originally feel in love with that sound. The album fuses together many different elements of R&B, Hip-Hop, and Jazz, and he manages to take you on a journey through love and life. There truly is something here for everyone, young and old. Having already struck a chord with tracks like “I Do”, ‘Part of Me” featuring Joi Starr, “Heart Away” and “Alive and Well”, he’s well on his way to having a classic LP on his hands. Other songs gaining momentum include “Far Gone” with Rapsody, “Wait a Minute”, “Who Really Loves You”, and “Changed My Mind”.
In reality, I could go on and on about how good the tracks are here, but I think everyone gets the picture. It’s clear that he’s put in a tremendous amount of work with making this album what it is, progressively building his catalog, and his overall brand. Some things that have changed are producers, and his label situation. Following a long-standing recording relationship with Atlantic Records, Musiq is now a part of E-One Entertainment and My Block, with much of the album’s production being handled by Warryn Campbell and Taalib Johnson. What pleases me the most out of everything is that through it all, he has remained true to himself. Typically, when artists change label situations, things go awry because they don’t know how to connect with the artist, or don’t have any idea how to tap into their particular style. Surely, that wasn’t the case here. All parties played their respective positions, and it made way for a great album. Despite the things that have grown popular in music over the past few years, he continues to do him, and that shines throughout Life on Earth.
