Danielle Ponder released the new studio single “Roll the Credits” back on May 5, but it’s hard not to hear the soul singer-songwriter’s latest song about self-actualization and love’s transcendent power over life’s obstacles in the context of the recent Canadian wildfires that left the East Coast literally on fire.
“And if there's smoke, then I'll be water/ If there's fire, I'll be rain,” Ponder sings over a thick synthetic bass line, the swagger of a loping hip-hop rhythm, and a simple yet effective chord progression.
As always with Ponder’s music, it’s her voice that’s the center of attention. “Roll the Credits” finds the Rochester native at the peak of her charismatic powers to this point, sounding like an artist who has found herself amidst what can often be a challenging period following the initial wave of mainstream success.
Roll The Credits by Danielle Ponder
It remains to be seen whether “Roll the Credits” will be a part of Ponder’s eventual second album, but it’s clear she’s found a sweet spot in her songwriting, creating anthems of empowerment — particularly for women of color — while continuing her winning combination of soul, gospel, pop, and hip-hop.
Ponder’s voice is in full control on this record, and the finished pop product is encouraging while also inducing some serious head-bobbing. As a stand-alone single, “Roll the Credits” is due for some serious play on the airwaves. That said, the danger of using an established formula in one’s songs is that, eventually, boredom and apathy settle in and the integrity of the person’s artistic expression is diluted.
This does not appear to be the case with Ponder, whose strength and vitality as a singer continues to grow each day.
Daniel J. Kushner is an arts writer at CITY.