Rihanna - Diamonds

Rihanna.  We have heard that name nonstop for the past four years...at least.  She doesn't know how to take a break and so she just keeps pumping out the same sounding songs over and over and over again until you just want to slam your head against the steering wheel whenever her voice comes on the radio.  Occasionally, though, we get a diamond in the blur of repetitive, blaring dance tracks.  And "Diamonds" is aptly named, because it is one of these gems.

"Diamonds" isn't the kind of dance song that Rihanna has been giving us lately.  It's still a pop song, yet she slows it down a bit and gives us something graceful.  You may remember "California King Bed" which I thought was lovely, but definitely didn't match the success of her other hits.  "Diamonds" is a similar song, yet it adds much of the strength and excitement that "California King Bed" lacked.  The chorus may be slower than what you're used to be, but it just has so much power in the smooth vocals.

Throughout the song Rihanna repeats the phrase "Shine bright like a diamond" with a playful, childish tone.  At first I thought it was annoying, yet I realized that this is the perfect final piece to the song.  While she's got you hooked with her beautiful singing, this little verse is the part that's going to burrow into your head and make you remember the song.

"We Found Love" was the kind of song that repeated a sentence so many times that it lost all meaning.  "Diamonds" is repetitive too, yet it keeps the meaning to the song.  There is such a strong emotion behind these words that it really does keep the beautiful every time.  Plus the verses contain poetic lines that actually sound interesting and make you want to listen to what she's saying.

While I could still use a break from Rihanna, I'm glad that she is giving us something a little different.  The ballad type song is still popular, and Rihanna takes this while mixing in her own style to make the kind of song that is sure to appeal to many fans.  I am very impressed with "Diamonds" and I think it may be one of Rihanna's best songs recently.