Kanisha K – Bet On Me
REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/kanishak/song/26083849-bet-on-me
Kanisha K has already experienced considerable commercial success and relatively early on in her career. The assortment of endorsement deals she’s received from national outlets like Abercrombie and Fitch and Victoria’s Secret, among others, indicate a rising public profile aided by the high quality of her music and commanding performances. The latest in her string of successful singles, “Bet on Me”, should further hasten her rise into mainstream success and she should be content that she’s accomplished this in a variety of ways. Rather than just being another pretty face, Kanisha has arrived at this point thanks to the sheer dint of hard work, ample talents, and surrounding herself with quality collaborators interested in fostering a successful career path for her and assisting her in realizing her musical ambitions. “Bet on Me” signifies another turn in Kanisha K’s energetic ride towards pop stardom and a discography able to withstand posterity’s sometimes withering glare.
The biggest single factor in this track’s staying power is Kanisha’s vocal. She stands out from a pack of talented vocalists in her generation thanks to her phrasing and the unbridled way she gives herself over to the song. It’s easier than it sounds. Only the rarest of performers can divorce themselves from the self-consciousness of performance and place themselves squarely in the heart of a song’s experience. It requires much more than talent – it demands vulnerability. Kanisha K has no trouble making herself vulnerable to the song’s experience and that decision is reflected in every inch of the astute phrasing that makes her vocal so special. She packs plenty of oomph, for sure, but there’s more. While “Bet on Me” can certainly work as a love song, it also works as an emphatic declaration of identity and self-determination that few performers could ever hope to match. The lyrics aren’t weighed down with too many words and that lack of fat on the lines helps her drive harder and even more quickly into the song’s emotional truth. The choruses come at the right time and feature a brevity of expression perfectly in line with the verses.
The musical arrangement makes exceptional use of piano and guitar. Kanisha keys her voice off what the piano is doing, but the guitar playing never goes overboard and provides quite an emotive counterpoint to her singing. There’s a lot going on here musically, but the music never risks overwhelming the listener. Instead, it conjures up the same emotional magic that characterizes the rest of the song with immense stylishness and skill. “Bet on Me” is just the sort of track that Kanisha K needs to propel her to the next chapter of her career. It doesn’t rely on tired formulas or tropes, has recognizable qualities and emotional heft, and dwells in a musical realm that’s certain to entertain the widest of possible audiences. This talented singer/songwriter has scored in a big way with this song and the road ahead, for her, is unusually long and befitting a talent of her stature.
William Elgin
