I’m not gonna lie: I was a little worried listening to the opening verse of Jennifer Hudson’s new single, "Spotlight." True, the pretty piano riff is reminiscent of Alicia Keys’ "No One," and the lyrics about dealing with a suffocating relationship — "Are you a man who loves and cherishes and cares for me?/ Are you a guard in a prison, maximum security?" — are more interesting that your average pop-R&B clichés. But it all seemed just a wee bit, well, low-octane. I mean, we didn’t fall in love with J.Hud back on season 3 of Idol because of her vocal restraint; we want big, unabashed belting from the woman who won an Oscar for hollerating "And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going" right through the theater walls and directly into that 2 p.m. screening of We Are Marshall next door. Thankfully, J.Hud gets good and warmed up just before the two-minute marker on "Spotlight," and when she declares, "if I’m just love’s prisoner, then I’m bustin’ out," she begins to do just that: Busting out with the riffs and runs, and nailing a saucy bridge in which she chides her man and declares her devotion for him all at once. (Complicated!) No, it’s not quite "Cirrrrrrrrrrrcle of Liiiiife," but it’s a solid post-Dreamgirls kickoff that should do quite nicely at radio. What think you, PopWatchers?
Blog Roll
- Best Week Ever
- BuzzSugar
- Coolfer
- Dark Horizons
- Deadline Hollywood Daily
- Digital Music News
- Gold Derby
- Hits Daily Double
- Hollywood Elsewhere
- Hollywood Wiretap
- Huffington Post
- Hypebot
- Idolator
- jaded insider
- Lost Remote
- Movie City News
- Movie List
- MTV News
- Pop Candy
- PopBytes
- Popeater
- reality blurred
- Salon: Arts & Entertainment
- Stereogum
- The Beat
- The Programming Insider
- Thompson on Hollywood
- Tuned In
- TV Barn
- TV Tattle
- TVFanatic.com
- TVNewser
- Velvet Rope
Featured Video
Realite: Reality TV justice!
Worthy winners on ''Runway,'' ''ANTM''; just desserts on ''Top Chef'' and ''SYTYCD''; bonus Kris Allen!
More 
Today's Most Popular
-
The Ausiello Files Exclusive: 'FlashForward' shuts down production -
-
The Movie Critics 'New Moon,' 'Twilight,' Bella Swan, and me -
-
The Ausiello Files 'Desperate Housewives' has NOT fired Drea de Matteo
From Our Partners
Special Coverage
'Twilight' Saga: 'New Moon'
It's almost here! Get all the latest news, photos, video, and fan commentary leading up to the big premiere
More
Comments (1-30) of 54 Add your comment
Either J-Hud is wearing Spanx or she lost some weight. She looks pretty good.
The song is pretty good. It has a mid 1980’s R&B flavor.
i was just searching for this online last night, after reading about it in this week’s ew, of all places. thanks slezak for posting it here. i hope it appears on itunes tomorrow. until then, i’ll just repeating it on youtube all day today…
Good song. great 80s hook, excellent warm vocal from J. I hope she has a huge hit, she is a sweetheart. The glamour pix are good stuff. Girl looks great with some of the babyfat off.
Love this song right here. I hope she has a huge hit.
LOVE IT! I can hear this on the radio for sure. and all you J-hud lovers – she has a single that nobody heard off of Jamie WilliamS album – it’s a cover of Stevie Wonder’s Overjoyed and it’s SENSATIONAL. Slezak – did u ever do a write-up of this song?
I like the 80’s vibe. I didn’t hear the piano riff as a direct Alicia Key’s knock-off.
I love the song! I think that EVERYONE expected the wailing and she does get her diva on later in the song – but I think this is a great first singer who is truly setting herself up as being an artist that lasts.
I was really hoping for more. I don’t think the music is worthy of her. I got bored 2/3 of the way through.
Way boring, didn’t even make it halfway.
NineDaves, “Spotlight” won’t be on iTunes til Tuesday, June 10th, followed by the self-titled album drops in Sept. The label needs to sell the “Sex And the City” Soundtrack that drops next Tuesday the 27th, in which Hudson contributes “All Dressed In Love”.
I like it, but I don’t LOVE it. (I admit my expectations were pretty high for her first song)
I am glad I wasn’t the only one who picked up on the nice 80’s vibe.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE “SPOTLIGHT” THIS SONG IS FABULOUS!!! IM SO PROUD OF HER….
CONGRATULATIONS JENNIFER
I love it! Sista’s got her stuff together! She may not win since she does not have a crack habit or done a stint in prison. Love the song and the singer
Decent enough song. There is certainly worse out there. I kinda enjoyed it.
Decent enough song but I’m buying it because she looks so good!
I love Jen, but I have to say I was a little disappointed when I first heard this song. But then I played it again and I kind of started to like it. Now I can’t get it out of my head. It has a great hook.
Not bad, I’d like to hear some remixes. It seems like there’s a killer track in there!
I love the slow build of the song. For me, it reminds me of great 80’s R&B singers like Miki Howard. I appreciate that she didn’t come at us with a full on vocal assault as that would have been expected (Similar to Fantasia’s debut which was surpisingly understated.) All in all, a really good J-Hud intro into the pop world.
I like it better than most R&B, but that’s not saying much. I wouldn’t buy the album based on this song, so hopefully the next single is catchier.
I think it is great….exactly what she needed to do. radio friendly…shows her voice at the end….perfect debut and can’t wait for more!!!
I like it. Although, it’s kind of lengthy for pop radio, maybe a little editing would be judicious.
Thankfully, it did not descend into melismatic hell. Her voice is great and deserved much beter than the boom smack percussion fakery; should have been a real drum kit.
Great…great hook….she’s going to be bigger this year esp. after Sex and the city.
I love Jennifer but I’m not in love with this song. I found my mind drifting to something else and not paying attention to it after the first couple of minutes. Hope the rest of the album has more grit to it then this.
I rather liked it, but if I am being honest here I expected more. And while I must say that, Jennifer, you looked beautiful in those photos I don’t think this is quite your style of song. I dunno, I dunno it was just alright for me.
i liked it. it will mos def be on my playlist during my annual summer drive down I-5 from the SF/Bay to LA. the riffs are very appropriate for this track. she should save her signature wailin for her own CD anyways. she can’t be effie all time people!
WAIT! this is not really her first single. its really a song for the movie. more like….wait for it…then BAM here’s the real one. people have to get used to her as a singer. this is very 80s Rnb like miki howard or evelyn chanpagne king or cherelle. i bet her next single will be a big voiced ballad.
I am digging this track and can’t wait for more from Miss Jennifer Hudson! SERIOUSLY!!
this song is s*it!!! UGH!!! I can’t believe i actully listen to the whole thing grr!!!