Without having released more
than a few singles, 21-year-old Mona Masrour from Solna outside Stockholm is already under the epithet Sweden's next r'n'b queen.
She has been hailed by both Imenella and Sabina Ddumba and the song Reminds Me which came out last year is truly a gem where Masrour flexes his soft but large voice register.
R'n'b is a genre that has always been closely associated with emotions, love and sex and Mona Masrour is good at writing lyrics about relationships in Swedish that feel natural, personal and unique.
But the best of all
is the humor and directness, what makes Masrour just Masrour.
The word scenes, Masrour has previously explained, is for her and her girl friends like crunch - to go through something tough or to sit in the shit.
The album is often about that kind of situation and the song Easy is a hard kick on all fuckbois.
"Completely busy when you call again
Now he hides the phone when he's with you
Changes the key when you've already seen what's in it
Masror's voice marries
well with the rap talent L1na from Nyköping and creates a nice mix of hip hop and r'n'b.
And in addition to the L1s, Scener contains additional guest appearances from some of Swedish hip hop's freshest names - some more successful than others.
Because if the verse of 1. Cuz on Exclusive partly feels written with the left hand, partly as a tired display of male aggrosexuality, then the Malmö rapper Mazzo's entrance is all the more glorious.
His wide autotuned Scanian with perfect avant-garde pause creates a floating feeling that is difficult to evoke.
Capturing Me Once Again becomes a duet to listen to again and again.
Another jewel
is Mamma's daughter - a type of hot throbbing mother tribute that is more often found in male rappers.
Mona Masror's soft, gentle, silky voice creates an intimate and cotton-like bubble.
The album is produced by hip-hop producer Nisj, who has previously worked with Erik Lundin and Silvana Imam, among others, and in the press release the songs are aptly described as "slow jams": the album has a consistent restraint in both song, production and melodies.
And of course it's
good, but you can not help but suspect that Mona Masrour has more to give.
If Masrour is to share the podium with Cherrie, or become a Swedish answer to American Summer Walker, she needs to challenge that rippling voice and develop her melodies and beats.
My biggest wish is to hear her put even more pressure behind the barrel, send it high up in the ceiling or maybe take on more Reminds me choruses, because I am convinced that she can - and that it would sound fantastic.