Review: Joyce Wrice “Motive” EP

Joyce Wrice’s Motive EP is a beautifully isolated microcosm that celebrates her self-confidence, love, sexuality, and feminine energy.

Photo Credit: LE3AY STUDIO

If you have followed my IG for a minute, I am sure you have caught inklings of deep my Joyce Wrice fangirling goes. But the way that the Motive EP has reentered my life seven months after it was released is CRAZY. It’s not that I didn’t play the project upon its release and appreciate it for what it was at the time, because I can clearly remember all the teaser posts on IG and Joyce’s stories hyping me up for the drop. I remember buying it on iTunes as well but it quickly fell victim to RNBNerd machine that is wanting and needing to listen to everything that comes out each week. That is the commitment that I have to the genre, the creatives, and the music! I could not truly feel like the RNB Nerd if I did not give it all a proper listen. So please know that even when I don’t blog consistently or post everyday, I am ALWAYS checking for the music.

Photo: Credit: LE3AY STUDIO

ANYWAYS - Joyce has presented another dimension of herself with the Motive EP and gave us fans more of a reason to appreciate her musical and performance abilities. Joyce is THE TOTAL PACKAGE. While her debut (Overgrown) was an authentic expression of her artistic and personal identity, this is like the expansion pack that is necessary on the journey that is Joyce Wrice fandom. I hope that I set the stage for my review, now let’s get into it!

Joyce kicks the door down of this five song set with “Iced Tea”. Just ten seconds in and we already know how this is going to go. The song is SIGNATURE Kaytranada. After a number of spins, I find that when I take my time with this record, the smoother it gets. We are certainly in experimental territory here, when we compare “Iced” to Joyce’s past music. But not for one second does this feel unlike Joyce. When you get to the end of the project, it could also most feel like “Iced” was a bit misleading. While it and “Looking for Ya” are the most uptempo and genre bending of the set, the other records showcase what is at the core of Joyce’s brand: Sickening soul music driven by those pure and angelic vocals that make the mark every single time. “Iced Tea” is Joyce’s confidence on full display, proclaiming all that makes her the baddest of them all.

“Spent” is that nice sip of water after the explosive opening performance that was “Iced Tea”. Perfect for a slow and steady grind, “Spent” is RICH. The Afrobeats record is another experiment for Joyce, but done in a way that sounds authentic and highlights all the beauty that the sounds coming out of Africa have. Amalgamating the fusion of sounds here is Joyce’s vocal delivery, powerful and pretty. There is also some delicate urgency to pacing of her vocals and the overall tone of the record, something that I also hear in “Looking for Ya”. Lyrically, “Spent” is Joyce asserting her worth and not failing to let her romantic interest know that the way to her heart is not by the material things.

If “Spent” gave us a moment to catch our breath, “Looking for Ya” is the EP’s second wind. Another track that oozes feminine energy and an urgency to find some tension release. The lyrics are direct and poetically vulnerable. The sentiment of the record is conveyed in a tasteful way that mixes in with the music so well. The overall tone of this record is progressive but still holds onto that familiar R&B cadence that we all know and love. It reminds me of Britney Spears “I'm a Slave 4 U”. Like “Slave”, this song makes you want to DANCE. I hope that we get to see Joyce really body the dance energy that is HUGE on this one at some point, that would be awesome!

Speaking of big dance energy, that is what we have here on “Bittersweet Goodbyes”. Taking it a step further, is the gorgeously choreographed and music video shot for the record. Not sure if I can emphasize this enough, but this is NEXT level. The song comes to life in a way that I had not imagined before seeing it in music video form. Every beat is accounted for in the movements and the lines are SO CLEAN. There are also some great shots that emphasize the melodies too, which is so important when they are as good as the ones in “Bittersweet”. Everything that makes this song great speaks to the talent behind it: Kaelin Ellis, Mack Keane, Sw8vy, Anthony Watts, and Joyce Wrice DELIVERED a beautiful and memorable record that is for sure.

While “Pace Yourself” is MY favorite record on the project, it is also the least played record on Spotify. I find myself loving it more and more with each listen, particularly after the bridge. This is where Joyce’s attention to detail is weaved into every ad-lib and layered vocal stack that blend so flawlessly. As a dedicated listener, it reads to me like this is Joyce’s sweet-spot and comparing it to her debut, she is only refining and getting better at what I would consider her signature. There is a lot going on here if you really pay attention, but it all makes sense and demonstrates that there is most certainly a method to the beautiful madness. Joyce sounds in total control and given the subject matter of the record, it adds to her tasteful sex appeal and convinces me that she resonates very much with the music she makes. The gentle pleads to her partner that tonight is not the night to end things hastily is done so delicately and charming, it is easy to get lost in what she is saying because this is so good. On the production, it is a nice departure for Kaytranada too because it bears away from the more electronic/house pocket that he is known for. Perhaps this project was an experiment for all involved. Also WHY am I hearing the cow-bell from Kelly Rowland’s “Like This” in here? I am and will be forever haunted by R&B and honestly I wouldn't have it any other way.

Photo Credit: MICHAEL ORQUIA

Though a short and sweet project, not for one second does it sound like Joyce is trying to be anyone else but who she has shown to be through her music. Months after its release, I find myself reflecting on what the title of Motive could mean. It is clear that the themes of love making and confidence relentlessly dominate the set, so that would be my guess. As always, it is always a joy to blessed by anything Joyce Wrice and the Motive EP certainly delivered on all fronts. I hope this read inspires you to put it into your rotation as well :)