The follow-up to her commonly accepted magnum opus Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert, the London-based creative genius Little Simz is officially back with her seventh-full length album. Announced on December 7th, NO THANK YOU arrived as a pleasant surprise to her growing fanbase. Although its release comes a mere year after the aforementioned record, Simz has always prioritized sharpening her craft over the more commonly accepted knee-jerk releases of records. Therefore, it was beyond question that NO THANK YOU would be creatively bold and cohesive.
That’s exactly what fans get. The 50-minute record sees Simz float over grandiose, orchestral production with her head held up high. Integrating her Nigerian roots, chanting and booming drums color the record’s journey. NO THANK YOU feels like a reflection and celebration on her life up to this point. 21-year-old Simz was a recent college dropout working double shifts and consistently getting rejected by record companies. Simz put her 10,000 hours in and is now at the top of the mountain. “I don’t want to hear bad news, look at how far we’ve come.” However, NO THANK YOU isn’t a black and white celebration of that feat. In some ways, she yearns for the freedom and mental toughness that colored those difficult years.
NO THANK YOU is a message of empowerment, specifically towards the black female demographic. Introspective, intrepid verses encourage listeners to keep their head held high and not fall into the trap of the “rat race,” a phrase which is repeated throughout the record. She isn’t saying quit your job, but she’s pleading with listeners to stick to their soul and prioritize love amidst a life that may be discouraging. “Head high, back straight, feet down.” With the most majority of the tracks being at least 4 minutes long, NO THANK YOU is intentionally mapped out as a complex book or film that is best listened to alone.
Beats are often void of more traditional sonic tropes such as an 808 or a snappy high-hat. In absence of complex production, her laid-back verses take the main stage of the record. Spoken word is featured on spiritual cuts such as “Control” and “Broken.” An emotionally heavy record, beats that run a little thin are usually made up for by engaging storytelling. However, this isn’t to say that the production is void of personality. Harmonica strings enter and exit tracks, while choir vocals come in at unexpected, staggering moments of brilliance.
NO THANK YOU is just as much a novel as it is an album, taking the listener on a journey through her rocky adolescence while attempting to remain independent as the music industry closes around her. Her selective fanbase seemingly having diverse opinions about what their favorite track is speaks volumes to the lyrical and sonic diversity of the record. After the critically acclaimed Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert, NO THANK YOU sees Simz close her eyes and take a deep breath of reflection before a potentially larger creative project arrives in the future.