A confident, listenable track from three heavyweights. It's so good it almost makes you forget about their immense vanity issues.
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Ever listen to music so sassy it makes you wanna shake your hand ‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)’ style? ‘Shining’ shows that Beyoncé, the creator of that iconic dance move*, still knows how to pack a punch. She rules over ‘Shining’ like the Queen B she is, despite only being a credited as a feature on this lead single, from DJ Khaled’s Grateful. The welcome presence of her megastar husband Jay-Z makes for a collaboration that’s surely been on the cards for a long, long time. What results is a poppy, confident hit, with sass threaded into its very skin.
Admittedly, ‘Shining’ doesn’t get off to a fantastic start. Shouted tags for DJ Khaled’s We The Best label are off-putting both to grammar pedants and those irked by musicians with vanity problems. Give it time, however, and you’ll find all three playing to their striking yet individual strengths. Beyoncé’s vocals are the best of the bunch, working in well alongside DJ Khaled’s sharp, infectious beat and Jay-Z’s snappy and fierce verse. You may even end up in favour of anointing Jay-Z and Beyoncé as music’s true royal couple – especially as Kanye and Kim are being such dicks at the moment.
Let’s not forget there’s some fun tidbits behind ‘Shining’ too: it was released around last week’s Grammy Awards, where Beyoncé was snubbed even though actual winner Adele was having none of it. The quirky cover art features Asahd, DJ Khaled’s six-month-old son, who is also serving as executive producer on the upcoming record.
*Is hand shaking a dance move? Please consult an expert.
‘Shining’ is out now via Epic
