Reality Show
by Jazmine Sullivan
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Jan 13, 2015
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 80 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 80
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 80
  3. Negative: 6 out of 80
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  1. Jonjo
    Jan 13, 2015
    10
    There has not been a better first trio of albums from an R&B singer in recent times. This is different from Fearless and Love Me Back, however. It's quicker, slicker, more explicit and much more contemporary RnB, compared to the variety her previous albums brought. The beats are hard, thumping and frequently modern, with her trademark emotional, strained wail surprisingly used incrediblyThere has not been a better first trio of albums from an R&B singer in recent times. This is different from Fearless and Love Me Back, however. It's quicker, slicker, more explicit and much more contemporary RnB, compared to the variety her previous albums brought. The beats are hard, thumping and frequently modern, with her trademark emotional, strained wail surprisingly used incredibly sparingly.

    You'd expect this to be a negative, especially as no one ever makes a great R&B/Soul album that doesn't either heavily throw back to the old days or is some kind of atmospheric hipster/alternative **** but the result is her most cohesive album to date. Although there are few classics on the stratospheric level of the likes of "Redemption" and "In Love With...", there average level of tracks is quite astounding and it's incredibly difficult to not listen from cover to cover every time.

    Another of her trademarks is her ability to incorporate vivid and intricate storytelling into her writing. She tended to use that device on only a handful of songs on both albums, but in Reality Show it is the main device. The majority of songs paint drastically different characters and case studies quite clearly not her personal voice but certainly with her message.

    The variety of her writing is incredible, as is her ability to manipulate her vocal chords and enunciation from song to song to make her voice sound drastically different from song to song.with each character. One moment her voice is light and airy, the next it's so heavy and deep that the sound is androgynous, or it has a kind of jazzy twang, or else it's her usual deep, rich and raspy sound. Not a single vocalist uses their voice as an instrument quite in the way that Jazmine Sullivan does.

    I only intended to write a few sentences, but I could go on for much longer than this. Essentially, this is an incredible album from, in my view, someone who has now made it clear that she is the very best R&B artist in the world since her debut in 2008. In the end, the half-decade wait for "Reality Show" was well worth it, but we can only hope the wait for #4 isn't nearly as desperate.    … Expand
  2. thaleslucas
    Jan 13, 2015
    9
    Pretty and powerful! This is how the album looks like. Jazmine's voice is so beautiful and all songs sound so vivid. The way it sound a little alternative for R&B/Soul is so pure and unique. She's really amazing like a woman, a singer and a human soul.
  3. Bocio
    Jan 15, 2015
    10
    If you are an R&B/Soul fan this album is for you! It's fresh, pure and well produced R&B, Jazmine velvet voice is delightful and to top it off she's a very good songwriter, her lyrics are strong.
  4. YassLight
    Jan 16, 2015
    9
    It is a great day for R&B music and Jazzy's huge fans like me. I am so happy that she got up to sing her heart out again. Reality show only comes to complete and to enrich Jazzy's discography with more soulful and nostalgic melodies, and most of all truthful lyrics. My favorites songs are definitely: Mascara, Brand New, Stupid Girls and Stanley. May God bless your soul.
  5. Haiku
    Feb 8, 2015
    10
    Top music albums of life people must hear; the preeminence is beyond any words! bjkbkjbkjbjkbjkbkjbjkbkjbjkbkjbkjbkjbjkbkjbkjbjkbkjbkjbkjbkjbkbkbkbkjbkj
  6. she_her
    Feb 8, 2015
    10
    Musically Flawless; Album of the decade llllllhbjlbjlbjlbjlbljbljbjlbjlbjlbkblkblkbklbklblkbklblkbklbklbklblkbklblkblkbklbklbklbklbklbklbklbklbklbklbklblkb
  7. NickolasM
    Mar 16, 2015
    8
    Jazmine's "Reality Show" is a proof that once again the r'n'b/soul genre is stronger than ever these days. Swagger mode: ON. Read the whole review here: http://www.anartcalled.blogspot.gr/2015/01/jazmine-sullivan-reality-show.html
  8. mmcduffie
    May 27, 2016
    10
    I'm absolutely obsessed with this album. Truly a masterpiece. Jazmine is such a talented individual with great songwriting skills. Hats off to her! I listen to this album almost every day.
  9. MaroKauil
    Aug 9, 2019
    9
    Este es uno de los mejores álbumes de R&B contemporáneo que se pueden escuchar. Es fresco, melódico y profundo tanto en letras como en sonido. Es como un precedente para las futuras producciones tanto de R&B como de Pop. Es un álbum que envejecerá muy bien. Me encanta.
  10. PretentiousGeek
    Jan 27, 2021
    9
    Coming back to this in light of Heaux Tales (as someone who hadn't really heard any of her songs aside from Bust Your Windows and Insecure up to that point), I'm cursing myself for the joy I denied myself by skipping her discography for this long.

    This album is nearly perfect, and Mascara is one of the greatest songs ever written. Like a more layered, less showy Super Rich Kids, letting    Coming back to this in light of Heaux Tales (as someone who hadn't really heard any of her songs aside from Bust Your Windows and Insecure up to that point), I'm cursing myself for the joy I denied myself by skipping her discography for this long.

    This album is nearly perfect, and Mascara is one of the greatest songs ever written. Like a more layered, less showy Super Rich Kids, letting listeners bring their own preconceptions to the table and play off them. It's a nuanced and subtle song that uses every single part of the music to strengthen her message. The tragic cadence of the chorus melody and outro, the repetition, the use of contrasting song structure. Oh my god? What is wrong with her. It's not normal. And that's not even mentioning her immediately evident vocal talent, which I don't think I need to describe. I geuninely can't deal.

    Favourite tracks: Mascara, Brand New, Let It Burn, Forever Don't Last
    Least favourite: Masterpiece (Mona Lisa) but like only by a little bit    … Expand
  11. marshawna
    Jan 28, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My favorite body of work ever! Real R&B music. Can’t wait for her new music!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Best Album of 2015
97
#97 Most Discussed Album of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Pitchfork
    Jan 30, 2015
    81
    Sullivan, better than singers and songwriters in almost any genre, creates worlds where relationships take on more complex dynamics, but are immediate in their effect.
    Read full review
  2. NOW Magazine
    Jan 29, 2015
    80
    Some trendy lite disco and uplifting, singalong hooks give her voice more to compete with and play up the universality of experience, but Sullivan sounds better the more specific she gets.
    Read full review
  3. HipHopDX
    Jan 28, 2015
    80
    Sullivan’s long time away from music has given her a new outlook on life and Reality Show is all the better because of it. Her excellence bleeds into songwriting and production while her crooning is as good as ever.
    Read full review
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