【译】叉婊Pitchfork评Normani 2021年回归单曲《Wild Side》（ft. Cardi B）

翻译：Nomanlandever

“Motivation” was easily one of the best pop releases of 2019. Normani’s solo debut single channeled the charisma and verve of a mid-2000s Beyoncé song as it paid visual homage to late-’90s dance videos. The song and choreography—including a viral move where she bounced a basketball off her knee and butt—solidified her star status and left fans eagerly awaiting a follow-up. Two years later, she’s finally back with “Wild Side,” an Aaliyah-esque R&B track that swaps her earlier exuberance for slow-burning desire.

《Motivation》绝对是2019年最佳流行歌曲之一。Normani单飞出道作展现出2000年代中期Beyoncé歌曲的魅力和活力，视觉上致敬90年代末的舞蹈视频。这首歌和附带的编舞——包括她用膝盖和臀部弹起篮球的动作——巩固了她的星途地位，并让粉丝们对它的后续单曲留下了很高的期待值。两年后，她带着《Wild Side》回归，一首Aaliyah式的R&B歌曲，以缓慢燃烧的欲望取代了她早期的青春活力。

Normani’s sinuous vocals are on full display as she urges a lover to initiate their romance.  “This type shit have you wylin’/Last-minute trips to the islands,”she croons over a pulsing drum beat, her voice dripping with casual confidence. Cardi B’s verse slows things down, but when Starrah’s fast-paced delivery is layered with Normani’s falsetto in the outro, the momentum is restored. In the accompanying video, Normani cycles through impeccable looks and sets—a velvet dress in a mod red room, an all-leather outfit in a futuristic chrome building, and a rhinestone bodysuit that matches Cardi’s. If “Motivation” was her jubilant breakthrough, “Wild Side” is the meticulously crafted showpiece that proves she’s here to stay.

Normani蜿蜒起伏的演唱在她敦促爱人开始他们的浪漫时体现的淋漓尽致。 “This type shit have you wylin’/Last-minute trips to the islands,””她在激情澎湃的鼓声中低吟唱道，声音里流露出不经意的自信。Cardi B的部分使整首歌的节奏变得缓慢。但当Starrah的快节奏的表达与Normani在歌曲结尾处的假声重叠交织时，那股力量又重现了。在歌曲附带的MV中，Normani一件件完美无瑕的造型和布景——在现代红色的房间里的天鹅绒裙子，在未来主义的铬合金建筑里的全皮革套装，还有一件与Cardi B的交相呼应的莱茵石紧身衣。《Motivation》是她令人欢欣鼓舞的突破，那么《Wild Side》则是精心制作的展览品，证明了她在乐坛的存在。