Originally, this CD review was going to be for our Halloween issue. Willa Ford tries to disguise herself as a rebel, breaking through the barriers left behind by Britney Spears and Christina "what's her name." However, despite the slightly edgier sound, Willa Ford's masquerade isn't fooling anyone. She's just another female pop star, singing the same kinds of songs with the same meanings. Her only difference is she has millions of people hating her for once going out with a Backstreet Boy and she's more revealing about her whorish ways, unlike Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore, who keep it in the closet.
Still, the debut CD from this "bad girl" should not get lost in the shuffle. She can definitely hold her own and she won't have to make a Latin CD to create a bigger fan base and win a fixed Grammy Award. She doesn't really care who likes her. She just wants people to buy her CD.
Willa Was Here, besides containing the hot video for I Wanna Be Bad, has some really good songs on it. I Wanna Be Bad is the first track off the CD and for good reason; it is one of the best songs. Great beats and a cool appearance from Royce Da 5'9", this song contains an infectious hook that had me blurting it out even when I didn't want to. I wanna be bad/you make bad look so good/I got things on my mind/I never though I would/I wanna be bad/You make bad feel so good/Am I losing all my cool/I'm about to break the rules/I,I want to be bad.
Did Ya Understand is a very catchy song, too and I liked it more than Ooh Ooh, which my partner loved for some odd reason. I thought that song was too slow for my tastes. I, however, loved Tired, and I think it's a perfect song to follow I Wanna Be Bad. Manufactured is this hot pop industry/I know cause they tried to do that to me/Tired of the clothes that aren't for me/Tired of people saying Britney. Wow! Why you hating for? That's got to hurt. First those manufactured groups ('cough' Backstreet Boys 'cough') and then poor Britney. This girl does not conform.
Not true. She certainly does conform, since songs like Tender and Don't You Wish, kind of sound like Britney or Christina could have sung them. They're cool songs with some good mixing worked into the background vocals, but if you told me Britney really sung the songs, I wouldn't be shocked. In fact, there is a song called Dare, where Ford sounds like a cross between Jem and the Holograms and their evil rivals, The Misfits. And what about this song: So what you really want/Nasty, Nasty, Nasty/And what I really need/Nasty, Nasty, Nasty. Nasty is right.
Ford could definitely do without Dare and Nasty and stick to songs like Somebody Take the Pain Away. Here comes the pain again/breaking up my heart/it's a tragedy/breaking up my heart/It's the worst emotion. Cool song using the equally cool hook from the Eurythmics classic. Pure brilliance.
AGAIN, Willa Ford is not a rebel. She may want to be bad, but in listening to her songs, you get the sense she has been hurt so much in life and isn't so bad at all. Listen to her music and you may discover a diamond in the rough. Willa Was Here, but how long she lasts depends on her? I think people should buy this CD. But Willa needs to stop trying be something she's not.
Send your comments and or questions about this article to JMinners@ybfree.com.