In my effusive praising of Bianca Rossini’s 2023 contemporary pop meets Brazilian masterwork Apaixonada, I made note that the multi-talented Rio native/Renaissance woman/musical citizen of the world was deftly creating “new potential Brazilian standards that stack up superbly with the bossa classics that still enrapture us 60 years on.” Then, charmed by her sultry voice and fanciful phrasing in her native language, I added, “Whatever style she’s singing in, we don’t have to know Portuguese (or read an English translation of the lyrics) to feel her tug on the heartstrings…”
Turns out, she’s quite a masterful storyteller in English as well, as we wondrously discover as we listen to the infectious, rhythmically eclectic, sweetly romantic and hauntingly heartfelt songs on I’ve Been Alone, a landmark in her career and her first full-length English language pop album. No doubt her global fan base would still have been enraptured had she taken an easy road and populated the collection with fresh interpretations of Great American Songbook standards – but instead, she quite gloriously affirms her greatness as a deeply emotional storyteller, cathartically baring her heart and exposing the essence of her soul on a transformational 10-song sweep that, as she says, navigates “the beautiful mess of being human.”
Stylistically, Bianca takes us on an ever fascinating journey blending gorgeous, string-caressed piano driven ballads like the hauntingly confessional opener “I’ve Been Alone” and nostalgically romantic “Greatest Love” with sizzling up-tempo affairs like the funky, brass-fired romp “Cry Cry Cry” (where she ironically finds a measure of joy in letting the tears flow) and the raucous, rockin’ and bluesy “Early Morning,” a blistering tale of a strange, surely doomed adulterous affair. For those new to Bianca’s formidable artistry, which she began sharing on her 2011 debut album Kiss of Brazil, perhaps I’ve Been Alone is best appreciated as a single listening experience from “I’ve Been Alone” to the charming, seductive reflection “Christmas Night.”
Considering that we live in an era where listeners often consume by choosing top tracks for custom playlists, truly any song on the album serves as a perfect entry point. After several listens, my favorite remains “I Have Waited Like a Fool,” a passionate mid-tempo ballad about breaking through from the despair of believing so many lies to letting sunshine and wisdom break through so that her once crying heart can see things more clearly. It’s so passionate, so sad, so hopeful and so relatable – so many emotions pouring forth in just a few moments.
Thematically, this theme ties in well with two other excellent, insightful tunes – the peppy, blues-tinged “Wake Up,” where Bianca puts herself in the role of advisor, encouraging a friend to see the light before it’s too late, and the hope that a former significant other will “Release Me” and the remaining strains of her affection after she realizes the relationship is over. The way Bianca can sing heartfelt, haunting lyrics over lively grooves is one of the most fascinating aspects of her artistry. If you happen to feel lonely when you start listening, you will realize soon enough that in Bianca, you have a friend who understands.
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