3 Song Feature: Starrah
RNB Nerd covers Grammy Award winning songwriter, Starrah, by reviewing my top three songs that feature this powerhouse creative.
Starrah is a name that will continue to remain affixed to my music peripherals and it should be to yours too. Not only has she become synonymous with progressive and genre bending artists (Skrillex, FourTet, Diplo), but she has also written for the biggest pop stars (The Weeknd, Rihanna, Beyonce, and Madonna). But what impresses me the most about Starrah is that she does all of this with incomparable style, a crazy level of anonymity, and a nuance that continues to evolve. Starrah seems to enjoy collaboration and that is why I am sharing three of my favorite records that I feel RNB Nerd readers will enjoy too! LFG!
Skrillex, Starrah & Four Tet - Butterflies - Epicly destroying the closing set of Coachella 2023 (minus Fred Again), we find the dynamic duo of Skrillex and FourTet partnered with Starrah for “Butterflies”. The dance song is PURE fire and while the house elements of the song stand out in the production, Starrah and FourTet still get plenty of time to showcase their unique talents. It is cool that Skrillex used this song to signal his comeback and eventual full-length album, because it does good at previewing what sounds he and the collaborators were ready to bring to the world. The song sounds underground yet pulses with an undeniable mainstream quality about it that could (and would in a lot of ways) alter the sound of dance music in that moment of time. Skrillex was instrumental in another key moment of evolution for dance music and it makes me happy that Starrah was a part of that!
Charli XCX - Dreamer feat. Starrah and RAYE - Setting the tone for this transformative and pivotal project in the Charlie XCX lore, “Dreamer” features both RAYE and Starrah. Starrah comes in on the first verse confident, boastful, and gives us a strong taste of her charisma. The transition into RAYE’s verse is flawless and Charli XCX does a great job of sticking to the chorus until the bridge, letting the featured ladies properly introduce themselves to the listener. The production is dream-like and vibey, very indicative of both the overall sound of the EP and the musical direction that Charlie would become known for going forward. Similarly, and like we will see in the other featured songs, Starrah would also find herself in a similar sonic pocket. Moody and more slick, these edgy sounds would become the staple. This collaboration is a match made in heaven!
Skrillex & Starrah - Good Space - The latest record to be released featuring Starrah is another Skrillex collaboration. I wish I could explain just how pristine Starrah sounds in my ears, even in her characteristic autotune vocals. How she is maturing into her artistry comes across in this record, I can feel her sureness booming through the speakers and in the agility in her flow. The production carries all the things that have come to know (and love) about brand Skrillex. I understand how some people might not be able to easily cut through the hecticity of all the sounds. However, I would bet that fans of both artists no doubt have attuned their hearing to account for all the possible ways a Skrillex x Starrah record could go, myself included. All I can say is that this song goes so hard and IYKYK!
I hope you enjoyed these three records as much as I did. Keep your eyes on Starrah and RNB Nerd for more features just like this!
