After suddenly imposing her name with a series of stunning singles, Seinabo Sey finally drops her first full-length with Pretend. On this studio album the young songstress, Swedish on her mother’s side, Gambian on her father’s, rapidly shows the extent of her stylistic and vocal range. An eclecticism lies at the very heart of Pretend. We pass from well-oiled soul to groovy pop in a snap of the fingers! In doing so, Seinabo Sey evokes the work of Alicia Keys, VV Brown, Selah Sue, and even Beyoncé. She even brings with her a few more splashes of keys, some tribal percussion, on the album’s many persuasive moments. On the vocal side, the thrilling shock is total. Her prowess is undeniable in her flexibility in alternating between pure ballads and up-tempo songs. Seinabo Sey is not a flash in the pan but a real singer, here to stay. © CM/Qobuz