We begin the week in France. Or on TikTok, take your pick…
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[5.71]
Jessica Doyle: After “Copines,” “Djadja,” and this, I find it hard to believe that any man has succeeded in rendering Aya Nakamura stupid, or even come close. She sells the lines about mental strength a lot better than she does the pretense of vulnerability. I am willing to believe that aspiring suitors have to submit a CV by mail, though.
[6]
Thomas Inskeep: French-language rapping over a lightly reggaetòn shuffle-beat that’s pleasant and nothing more. Nakamura clearly has a flow, but not a particularly compelling one.
[5]
Juana Giaimo: Aya Nakamura’s delivery is amazing — she can go from straightforward strong vocals to more melodic high-pitched verses — but the rest of the track is quite boring.
[6]
Katherine St Asaph: She sounds exhausted: more like jolie nah.
[4]
Scott Mildenhall: As a remarkably lightweight mainstream hit, “Jolie Nana” does its job, but would have done well to show a little more ambition. If Aya Nakamura were to really lean into the advert theme, have a bit more fun with it, she might have something half as memorable as “Want Ads” or “The Pina Colada Song.” As is, she gets by on over-deliberate melody, rote repetition and aqueous production.
[6]
Wayne Weizhen Zhang: The song’s TikTok trend, #FautPasSeNegliger, roughly translates to “Don’t neglect yourself,” and the associated TikToks are every bit as wholesome as you might imagine: people in their sweats magically becoming dolled up, couples dancing with each other, people sans maquillage all of a sudden become looking beat for the goods, etc. “Jolie Nana” is feel-good, warm music, the aural equivalent of your best friend checking in on you when you aren’t remembering to prioritize your mental health.
[7]
Alfred Soto: Never less than pleasant, especially the three-stress repetitions, but “pleasant” isn’t what I want from the singer of “Copines.”
[6]