Ella Henderson - Chapter One (Album Review)

The Xfactor was once a force to be reckoned with. It governed the charts in the run up to Christmas, with retro covers performed by hopefuls week on week appearing in the top 10 decades after their original release. In some ways the Xfactor did a great service to commercial pop music by increasing music sales in the Autumn/Winter period. Things haven't been so immense down Xfactor street in recent years though, with winner's sales figures nowhere near what they once were and no winner having quite the success of Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke. The format is weakening and its transparency is becoming all the more apparent with constant gimmicks and ridiculous contestants. Thankfully, it doesn't take a winner to release an incredible album. Alumni Rebecca Ferguson's Heaven is the perfect example, runner up to uber douche Matt Cardle (somehow now on his fourth album) it sold over 500,000 copies in the UK and quite rightly so. The shock exit of similarly likeable contestant Ella Henderson in week 6 was flabbergasting, a travesty at the time. It's clear that it was probably for the best because here she is a few years on with her debut album Chapter One and it's a damn doozy. 

Lead single Ghost is one of 2014's most incredible musical moments. Bursting with bluesy charm and haunting piano keys this is a distinct song from an artist who could only ever be just that. If your song is co-written with Ryan Tedder you're pretty much guaranteed to have an epic on your hands. Similarly, second single Glow is a slow burner but once it takes hold it's almost as infectious as its predecessor with a heady chorus and a thumping beat and Ella's vocals flutter delightfully over the arrangement. There's a stadium rock energy vibrating from the first three songs on Chapter One and Empire completes this trio. It's a anthemic power ballad and Ella's vocals are dripping with emotion as she soars over heavy percussion. Stepping toward something a bit more pop-rock but maintaining folky chants is Pieces, utilising repetition on the chorus to great effect as she proves she can "ooh ooh ooooh" with the best of them. Blues, soul and rock sounds aside, Chapter One  is a pop album at heart and this is clear on Give Your Heart Away with the booming chorus and electronic riffs. 

The bluesy feel of the lead single reflects a retro soul energy that the whole album generates in some manner. Mirror Man is funky, soulful, midtempo sass produced by Al Shux (Lana Del Rey to name one) about a self obsession and vanity, "You see perfection in your reflection and trouble's coming for you, Mirror Man, well she can love you better than a mirror can". It's Chapter One's standout track after the lead single and on repeated listens its charm only grows. 

Soul is in no short supply on Chapter One and the emotional maturity that Ella's voice exudes is quite astonishing given that she's only 18. Her ability should be the result of a decade of professional practice, honing her craft, but it's nothing less than an innate gift. She channels the vocal control and confidence of Mariah Carey on The First Time, a song with a chorus so wonderful it actually brings a smile to your face with its Jackson 5 style breakdown. Her confidence shines throughout the entire album, her voice never struggling with the higher notes and she never once loses her authenticity (not an audible vocoder in earshot). Rockets is more Mariah Carey style R&B inspired pop with a summery bounce in its step. 

Ballads are a tricky tempo to pull off without falling into the cheese trap. Chapter One's Yours is a short and sweet, stripped, piano lead love song and it's 100% lovely, as is All Again, a stunning vocal revelation whose musical theatre esque verses feel out of place at first but soon cement themselves into the surrounds. Then you've got the Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse) production on Hard Work, a delightful effort with heartfelt sentiment. 

Chapter One was always going to be great if Ghost was anything to go by. It's taken a long time to be unveiled but it was sure worth the wait. There's no single dull or poor quality moment. There's no wacky experimentation better suited to the likes of 'cool' band Alt-J and pop mentalist Lady Gaga. This is straightforward pop and in its simplicity lies a charm unparalleled by any of her Xfactor colleagues. What is pop music but an amalgamation of musical genres and sounds, adapted to suit a commercial audience. Ella's nailed her first foray into the airwaves and if she continues to release music of this calibre at this level of vocal prowess, even bigger things are sure to come. 

5 / 5