A dynamic, high-energy performer blessed with a powerful voice, Stevenson bills herself as the “Smooth Soul Songstress.” The songs on “Cover Girl Uncovered” are an alchemistic style of R&B beats, jazz improvisation, neo soul grooves and pop melodies. She capitalizes on her freedom as a frontperson to share her own thoughts, insights and stories about love, relationships, and hope through life’s journey.
“The goal of ‘Cover Girl Uncovered’ is to let the world hear what I have to say about life and love. It’s about stepping out boldly into my own lane and spotlight. The album contains several of my favorite cover songs but done my way. I wrote the other half of the songs on the album, which are my uncovered thoughts and melodies,” said the Los Angeles-based Stevenson, who will celebrate the album release with a hometown concert at the Eldorado Ballroom in Houston on June 29.
Among the noteworthy contributors who helped flesh out Stevenson’s vision for “Cover Girl Uncovered” are two-time Grammy-winning producer Paul Brown, soul-jazz saxophonist Marion Meadows, producer-guitarist David P. Stevens, urban-jazz keyboardist Nathan Mitchell, and Grammy-winning guitarist Shane Theriot. Stevenson brought members of her own band – guitarist Kay-Ta Matsuno and bassist Keith Eaddy – into the studio to track the album, fostering continuity between what you hear on record and live in concert.
“Cover Girl Uncovered” opens with the vintage R&B sounds of Teena Marie’s “I Need Your Lovin.”
“I stand on every word written in this song as if I wrote it myself. I don't mind singing about love over money in 2024, which seems to be the unpopular opinion these days,” said Stevenson who calls Marie as one of her favorite singers.
Another one of Stevenson’s favorites is Chaka Khan, celebrated on the album with a fresh rendition of “Everlasting Love.”
“The vocal melody and infectious guitar melody scream summer breeze, top down on your car, pure soul. It’s definitely my kind of vibe,” said Stevenson.
The summer heat continues with a sultry Brazilian jazz version of Phil Perry’s “Perfect Island Night.” Stevenson said, “It’s the chords and the passionate lyrics that get me. It's easy to over sing this song, but anything more would take away from a perfectly produced and well-written song. Sometimes you just have to deliver the song.”
Stevenson gets jazzy on an elegant reading of Nancy Wilson’s “Save Your Love For Me.”
“I've always admired her (Wilson’s) class, her tone, and her brand of jazz. And every girl has had that one guy who they know is no good for them, but…” Stevenson said about the song that adds the sheen of Mitchell’s piano.
Stevenson revisits Alicia Meyer’s R&B prayer “I Want To Thank You” and grants Matsuno the freedom to riff freely throughout the upbeat track.
“This song has always resonated with me spiritually and artistically. It's really a gratitude prayer to God in an R&B setting. I want to sing and write songs that mean something, yet you have no idea that I'm inspiring you while you're swaying and singing along,” revealed Stevenson.
The section of original songs opens with the simmering “Playing with Fire,” which was produced by Billboard top 20 saxophonist Justin Young. Stevenson paints the scene.
“We sat across the table, staring into each other's eyes as he told me that he didn't want anything serious or to fall in love. I told him ‘I am love...and not me, but love is a powerful thing thus you're playing with fire.’”
Released as a single last February, “Almost” plays out on a sensual mid-tempo groove. Stevenson explains the song’s meaning.
“An ex- called to tell me that he should've married me, but he married the woman he met after me. So, I put in all the work, she reaps the benefits, but he's miserable, and I'm over it.”
Stevenson shares her wedding vows, which she set to music on “Yes.”
“I was engaged in five months, some would say too soon, but we've been happily married now for nine years and together for ten years. The lyrics are vulnerable, honest, and were my actual wedding vows that I sung to him at our wedding.”
“Cover Girl Uncovered” has already spawned a Billboard top 15 single with “Smooth Soul,” which features Meadows’s soprano sax (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxRBwozEjxM). Stevenson wrote and coproduced the steamy track with Stevens.
“I'm a red-headed tamed wild child, and I'm often initially misread as an artist and by men. But I like my music just like I like my men: smooth and soulful. If there’s a song that best describes me as an artist, this is the one.”
Illumined by Keith Mitchell McKelley’s expressive saxophone, “Everything To Me” was also released as a radio single and accompanied by a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf4ObH6hl7M).
Stevenson stated, “I believe there’s strength in being vulnerable. No matter how amazing we are, we all need someone. We should never be too proud to say thank you and I love you.”
An enchanted Stevenson shares her real-life inspiration for “Here With You.”
“It was our third date. A beautiful sun arose just as we arose from a magical night. He called out of work, and I canceled the studio session I had planned and neither of us cared about the repercussions. We were right where we wanted to be, and the outside world didn't matter.”
Brown produced and played acoustic guitar on “Believe,” which closes the collection on a note of positivity, thanks to Stevenson’s empowering lyrics.
“Believing is one of the easiest things to say and one of the most difficult things to do, but its believing that’s gotten me to where I am today,” Stevenson said about the Billboard top 20 single (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa5WoJpyW7w&list=PLnUqWc-s422D6vnB8ToCnu60jlRb7hXop&index=3).
Recording “Cover Girl Uncovered” was more than a two-year journey for Stevenson. As she wrote and recorded, she teased the project by dropping singles along the way, beginning with “Everything To Me,” in early 2022. “Believe” followed in August that year while “Smooth Soul” hit in March last year. When “Almost” streeted around this Valentine’s Day, Stevenson was caught up in the whirlwind promotional tour for Timberlake’s new album. Now she can fully focus on sharing, promoting and performing her own music.
“Cover Girl Uncovered” contains the following songs:
- “I Need Your Lovin’”
- “Everlasting Love”
- “Perfect Island Night”
- “Save Your Love For Me”
- “I Want To Thank You”
- “Playing With Fire”
- “Almost”
- “Yes”
- “Smooth Soul” featuring Marion Meadows
- “Everything To Me”
- “Here With You”
- “Believe” featuring Paul Brown
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