THE HALO BAR
This highly versatile singer-songwriter epitomizes what RAW @ the HALO is all about. Chidi is a very fine example of the hard working vocal talent we have in the UK. Plying her trade in both religious and secular arenas, the songstress exudes a confidence and maturity honed from traveling and performing before contemporary gospel artists including Fred Hammond and Kirk Franklin as well as stage appearances alongside legends James Brown and Prince.
With her debut release “UnRehearsed”, Chidi offers the listening and viewing audience a return to music with true, raw, soulful emotion avoiding gimmicks and over-production. Think Jill Scott meets Tina Turner, Neo-Soul meets 60′s-70′s Rhythm & Blues and you’ll get the picture.
The Halo Bar.
SOULCHOONZ.COM
An album for a very broad spectrum of people. Chidi is an extremely talented lady comprising a talent that has many classy inferences, I hear Jean Carne, Adriana Evans, the sass of Sunshine Anderson and an edgier grittier vocal aside that would appeal to fans of Tina Turner ! The album is very accessible, very soulful and should be a very big seller if there’s any justice. Some tracks as the CD develops really do edge into Tina Turner territory and that’s ok for me as I am a fan of the Lady. The CD kicks off with a real flourish, plenty of Soul and a tremendous groove. The spoken word, the punchy beats and the cosmic synths speak much to me about the strength of this lady. If I were pushed, I would say that I would buy the album purely for this song and this song alone. I love this to pieces and it’s perfect for a warm spring day such as today. Songs like this can chase clouds away and blow cobwebs away. Those who know me will be aware how many cobwebs cover me!
‘So Naturally’ throws out the album being a mere yet essential one tracker! This is very, very classy indeed and reminds me of Adrianna Evans meets Oleta Adams! Though this lady has a far better range than Oleta ! The sounds of Tony Toni Tone / Grass Roots Productions ooze from the GORGEOUS ‘My Ray’- a track that would not be out of place on Jody Watley’s ‘Flower’ album, lovely and just right for the warmer weather. The socially conscious ‘They Tell Me’ is great – a song that takes on board the state of the world and the comments made by the optimistic. I get a feeling that there is like me, no cynicism here but therein lies an optimist with experience!
We all make our own fortunes, and Chidi has begun work on a solid career with this CD. Check the lovely and subtle funk of ‘Wrong Again’ complete with rhythm guitar and flute. This is sheer infectious Y2K quality Soul! Chidi is a great new talent, that goes without saying I heartily and warmly recommend you acquaint yourself with her ASAP.
Barry Towler – The Vibe Scribe
BLUES AND SOUL
A 12-Track CD of some nice new soul tunes….’Laid Back is quite a moody sultry tune which is actually a dream to listen to with its cool vocals. Another stand-out is ‘My Ray’ a plodder that contains some lovely vocal changes.
Some nice older sounding styles in the recording are featured and it is more of a listening album with ‘Breaking My Heart’ being a typical example of this. Best track for me is the remix bonus track ’Thinking of You’ probably the track that will get played out at the clubs the most. Quite an esoteric album.
Andy Davies
ECHOES MAGAZINE
Also From this side of the water comes Chidi’s Unrehearsed, a debut from the former gospel support vocalist now turned solo soulstress. You’ll hear a touch of both Carleen Anderson and Angie Stone about her style, which finds her telling the story in the song rather than just showing off her shops for the sake of it. Some of the material is OK too: ‘They Tell Me’ is religious socio-soul of the ‘we’re going to hell in a handcart unless Jesus saves us’ variety and ‘Laid Back’ which opens, finally shakes off its spoken intro to stretch into a sexy and pleasingly undulating groove. Worth a listen for sure.
Chris Wells-Soul Sides
KEYS & CHORDS MAGAZINE
UK soul with a nod to southern soul. The UK is the soulful sound of the unknown singer for me CHIDI. She did her first steps on a musical field was in the local church. After a few years she performed as and opener or gospel artists. She has also stood on stage with James Brown, Prince and Corinne Bailey-Rae. She now has her debut album delivered. Chidi wrote all the songs herself, sang them, also provided the background vocals and coproduced the CD. She has a southern soul voice, and mixes elements from rock, reggae, pop and jazz to create its own sound to come. Comparisons with Angie Stone, Millie Jackson, etc. The first two tracks are very nice. ’Laid Back’ opens with a spoken part of an infectious groove. Chidi has a certain maturity and knows the soul feeling to retrieve. ’So Naturally’ is a great song and the first two numbers alone would make you buy the CD. ‘Wrong Again’ floats on retained funk, and the smooth ‘Back 2 Me’ is outstanding. ‘Thinking of You’ comes at the end as a bonus track again in a remix version. The latter is the better of the two. ‘Breaking My Heart’ is a nice mid-tempo song and ‘Praise You’ is her gospel background to bid. Chidi is undoubtedly talented, and I look forward to her next product.
Patrick Vande Wiele
SOULTRAIN ONLINE MAGAZINE
What I like about Chidi’s debut album is that I immediately notice its earthiness, the lack of any attached attitudes, that the twelve songs from ‘Unrehearsed’ can be extremely sympathetic that somewhere between soul, RnB with light harvesting, as well as gospel and a little jazz but also Pop and reggae based. I’m impressed by its directness and in its beauty because the English woman Chidi, who not only has written and co-produced the songs, knows very well what she wants.
Lex