Rochelle Pitt Watson first hit my radar during her time on the X Factor. Those sorts of shows are a great way to gain exposure, but they don’t really tell you a lot about a musician. I feel like I hadn’t really met Rochelle until I listened to her new EP Soul Mumma.
On a gloomy day here in NSW, the great grooves and the textures of Rochelle’s vocals on the opening track “Should We” are like sunshine. But listen a little closer and you’ll hear this is more than just a funky song. Its politically charged lyrics are inspiring. This is soul music the way the pioneers like Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye intended it to be.
“I Believe” has a great gospel vibe. Fittingly, Rochelle’s powerhouse vocals take it to church. “Challenge the Exclusion” is a hard-hitting title, but Rochelle takes a softly-softly approach with this song. It’s thematically powerful, but it speaks of unity rather than division and mutiny. It’s a beautiful ballad that moves the heart and mind. “Jimbaraal” is the most hard-hitting track on the album, a swampy, bluesy number with a driving drum and bass beat and squealing guitars. “Resilience” has a great reggae-inspired groove and more dynamite vocals and lyrics. It’s everything Rochelle does best.
The final track “Maudie” is beautiful, a tender track which seems to tell a very personal story. It’s so delicate compared to other the EP’s other songs, with Rochelle reining in her vocals and letting the lyrics do the talking. It’s such a simple but powerful love song that speaks to the heart.
Rochelle Pitt Watson’s Soul Mumma tackles some important issues with the insight her Indigenous heritage affords. Those issues can be confronting, but Rochelle’s sublime vocals and groovy sound help the message go down easily. It’s an EP which shows that really introduces us to the reality TV graduate, proving that she has much more than a killer voice on her side.
Image used with permission from August MGMT