Album Review: After Stunning All Stars 5 Debut, Jujubee Kickstarts Recording Career with 'good juju: vol. 1' Extended Play

   Just from this current All Stars 5 season alone (Blair St. Clair, Shea Couleé, Miz Cracker), we've seen an array of RuPaul's Drag Race queens dabble in music to mixed results.

   Season two queen Jujubee surprised the All Stars 5 audience with an unexpected, first live-performance of an original track on the premiere episode. Turns out, the drag entertainer had been working on original music for a while, waiting for the right moment to release.

   That moment is now.

   The aforementioned premiere episode track was actually entitled "Don't Wanna Love", one of four new tracks featured on Jujubee's debut extended play good juju: vol. 1. Solely produced by Aaron Aiken, the artist remains relaxed over dancehall-inspired mid-tempos and somber ballads.

   While the songwriting on a couple of the new efforts is unbalanced, listeners will be impressed with Jujubee's soothing vocal abilities. Emotive performances carry a bulk of the weight, on the first official tease of the artist's music career.

   On the 80s-styled "Need Ya", Jujubee contemplates whether a potential lover is better in her mind, or in real-life. Over electronic keyboard and subtle drums, the artist acknowledges her high expectation and worries that fantasy will not measure up to reality. "I think you really want me, want me, but I go and mess you up, don't go home crying, no, I'm not trying, to turn this into more," she sings on the second verse, trying to maintain the peace and shield her heart.

   Jujubee compares lovers on R&B-leaning slow jam "Puppet", appreciating the sense of freedom she feels with her current man. There's no jealously, no leash, just a couple with enough trust to give each other the space needed to grow. While the artist might have had reservations about opening up with another before, she sounds more at ease and in control of her own life and decisions this time around.

   "Round and Round", the shortest track, uses its Caribbean flare to capture the dizzying cycle Jujubee finds herself in with a specific lover. There's no improvement, no growth, just the same problems resurfacing over and over again. Frustrated with the lies, with a partner who likes to make rules but not follow them, the artist is fed up with feeling stuck.

   Performed on the All Stars 5 runway, "Don't Wanna Love" was a beautiful television moment for Jujubee. Even Blair St. Clair was left in awe. The piano-led ballad touches on the artist's feelings of abandonment and betrayal following a break up. "You played me for a fool, and I knew the game, you were never really on my side, I can't get you off my mind," she frailly sings, weighed down by the inability to shake the unhealthy emotions.

   good juju: vol. 1 is a short, sharp, and effective introduction to Jujubee's hidden talents. We've come to expect comedic and lip-syncing skills from the legendary Drag Race contestant. However, a tender and vulnerable moment on national television sparked intense in a full-fledged music career. And thankfully, Jujubee has vocals receipts that rival the more "experienced" Drag Race singers. While it would still be a treat to hear the artist supported by upbeat dance/pop production, the four tracks presented here come off as authentic, personal stories that still carry emotional weight. Overall, this does sound not like a cash grab. There is passion and commendable vocal abilities buried under Jujubee's fried chicken and cat lady laughs.

Tracks to Hear: "Need Ya", "Puppet" and "Don't Wanna Love"