Album Review: Nothing's Real by Shura

For me the only thing that keeps this album from getting four stars is the experimental stuff she has scattered about but mostly at the end of the album. It just doesn't fit with the album as a whole.

Shura is 25 years old and this his her debut album. Now based on my age theory this would tell us that this is the best album she will ever produce and so we'll see how that plays out, but it is a very good start to a career.

Anything you read about her music talks about her bringing the 80's sound to 2016, but the truth is it's not really the 80's she's influenced by. Yes it is artists like Madonna and Janet Jackson, but more like 1995 Madonna and Janet Jackson.

80's Madonna


90's Madonna


80's Janet Jackson


90's Janet Jackson


I've talked on this blog before about the influence that I'm hearing from 90's female artists on modern female artists, but Shura is the first I've heard that has taken her influences most specifically from 90's female pop artists and it works brilliantly in 2016. At least to someone who loved that music back in 1995.

All in all I really like this album. Lyrically Shura is interesting, she's tapped into the music of the 90's perfectly and extracted just what she needed.  This is a fun album just to throw on for any reason you want.  The sign of a really good album it hits all the moods and yet all fits together.  Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good.