With her first single of the year, HURU proves that the only thing she is guilty of is being irresistibly cool. The UK-based Kenyan-Jamaican is back with Guilty, a relatable and empowering single that she wrote and produced in collaboration with Scott Colcombe. 

In Guilty, Huru’s conversation with an inconsistent lover is not your average ‘pick-me’ ballad but a confident breakup anthem from a woman who’s finally putting her needs first.  ‘I know you know I don’t like to be disrespected/ love for you is relentless/  but you take it for granted’; she declares early in the song, setting the stage for her exit.  Guilty makes the case for choosing truth and growth above a facade of happiness. The lyrics present an objective line of questioning and observations by an intelligent, mature person who has been betrayed and is not afraid to stand against the gaslighting and manipulation that follows. 

Listeners who may not be familiar with HURU’s work may be surprised at her fearless experimentation with genre. HURU herself credits Willow, Denai Moore and Arlo Parks as her main musical influences which have merged into her resultant ‘cosmic’ sound. Guilty is a song that showcases all those influences through the indie-pop and electric undertones that accentuate it.  The track is also nostalgic of earlier electronic dance music. Verse two features a punchy rap performed over  a pop sound reminiscent of HURU’s debut single Black Beauté. HURU once again flexes her  musical diversity, shifting gears from her last single, the eerie Slow Motion. This agility is sure to earn her appreciation from listeners from various demographics. Her calm aura and soothing vocals transport the listener to a world of possibilities, and she seems to have found a knack for tackling heavy themes in her music while still relaxing the listener.

Though the upbeat track is a refreshing shift from her last singles, it would still be interesting to hear the full range of HURU’s vocal prowess in future singles. Regardless, this single is a solid start and we have a feeling that this might just be the beginning of a new era. 

Watch Guilty on Youtube and stream across all platforms.