6. May 2025
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Media Review

Malia – One Grass Skirt To London

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Malia - One Grass Skirt To London

Malia - One Grass Skirt To London
3.7

Rating

 3.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very good vocal performance
  • Very strong and characterful second half of the album

Flyctory.com Cons

  • First half is a bit too monotonous

The Malawi-born jazz singer is releasing her seventh studio album on 10th January 2025. Thereby, the album One Grass Skirt To London is featuring songs, which accompanied her when she emigrated from her country to London. I received the set of 14 songs, which majorly are part of movie soundtracks, beforehand and had a listen.

 

Malia – About The Artist

Malia was born in Malawi in 1978. Her mother is a local, while her father is British. In teenage years, she moved to London. In 2001, a trip to New York City finally made her meet the producer Andre Manoukian. She persuaded him to produce her debut album Yellow Daffodis, which was finally released in 2002. After that, five additional studio albums followed. Her last release has been The Garden of Eve released in 2020. Malia’s biggest release was likely the album Convergence alongside Boris Blank,which peaked 12th in the Swiss album charts and 24th in Germany.

 

Malia – One Grass Skirt To London – Track by Track

The fourteen track album lasts 62 minutes.

1. The Way We Were

The Way We Were, interpreted by Barbra Streisand, won an Oscar for the Best Original Song in 1974. 50 years later, the first six minutes of One Grass Skirt To London, it sets the direction for the album. Lovely, vocal focused jazz with a nice focus on Malia’s vocals. A very calm and focused interpretation of the classic.

2. Pure Imagination

Malia stays in the 1970’s movies scene and goes for Pure Imagination, which is part of the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) soundtrack. The original is already a rather calm and quiet track, but the jazz artist is slowing down the pace significantly with a very soulful interpretation. Some nice dramatic and playful elements lead to an enjoyable listen.

3. Suicide Is Painless

Johnny Mandel released this song in 1970 originally. Malia is using a wider instrumentation here, overall the sound is very melodic. Nonetheless, the focus is clearly on the lady on the microphone. A clear, fine vocal performance, which still could here and there spread a bit more energy.

4. I Have Nothing

One of three feature singles of the album is its fourth song, I Have Nothing. The song was been a single release of Whitney Houston in 1993 and has been part of the The Bodyguard soundtrack. I initially struggled with the calm style in the stanzas, but enjoyed her dynamic way Malia is presenting the chorus. However, compared to the original it just does not meet the spirit of Whitney.

5. I Follow Rivers

I Follow Rivers takes the listener to the 2000’s for the first time. In 2011, Lykke Li released this song as an alternative pop song. The 2025 jazz version gives a very different view on the stanzas, while the chorus is much closer to the original. I like that one.

6. Take My Breath Away

The sixth track was likely the one I was looking forward to the most. The song, originally by Berlin, has been such an iconic hymn with the Top Gun movie. In her interpretation, Malia is doing the first stanza just on her own, until her musicians join in for the first chorus. The original will be so emotional for many people in my generation, but I like the very ballad-esque perspective on the song.

7. Everybody’s Talkin’

We are jumping back from the 1980’s to the late 1960’s, when Harry Nilsson’s Everybody’ Talkin’ has been part of the Midnight Cowboy movie. The Malawian artist chose this song as a single release – and it has been a wise one. On the vocal as well as on the instrumental side, the track feels very present and melodic. Still, the jazz interpretation comes with its own character, which nicely fits into One Grass Skirt To London. 

8. Love Me Tender

Another really big song on Malia’s 2025 album is Love Me Tender. The banjo-alike strumming in the background is spreading some Americana spirit. However, the whistling and some spoken word sections feel cheeky, but also a bit of disturbing. However, you cannot deny that it also creates a very personal touch.

9. Maniac

The next song on the album is Michael Sembello’s classic, which was part of the iconic Flashdance movie. The very piano-driven instrumentation works very well together with a dramatic and energetic vocal performance. Finally, this one is definitely one of my highlight listens of the album.

10. Eyes Without a Face

Another single release on the album is Eyes Without Face. It has been part of the legendary Rebel Yell album by Billy Idol and is based on a 1960 French movie. Similar to its predecessor, Malia manages to create an interesting, new view on the song. The present rhythm almost leaves dancing vibes, which are slightly reduced by the soulful vocals. The hammering piano sounds and a background choir add a lot to a striking recording.

11. When I’m Cleaning Windows

The eleventh song is a short, 1:38 minute, episode on One Grass Skirt To London. It originally appeared as a comedy song in the 1936 movie Keep Your Seats, Please. Malia goes for the ease of the original in her short recording, which leads to a very joyful alternative on this record.

12. Wand’rin’ Star

Fifteen years after Keep Your Seats, Please, this song has been released as part of the musical Paint Your Wagon. Interpreted by Lee Marvin, it topped the British charts in 1970. A very groovy 2025 jazz version is leading to another very appealing part of the nowadays record. The second half of the this album has some nice tracks of that kind in stock.

13. Out Here on My Own

The movie Fame made this track popular in 1980. It has been originally performed by Irene Cara. This new version is a beautiful and very touching piano ballad. Really nice one.

14. Dambala

The last song of the record is another epic one, lasting 6:26 minutes. The original song is by the Bahamian musician Macfarlane Gregory Anthony Mackey, who is better known as Tony McKay or Exuma. Malia takes time to define an increasingly dramatic plot. Thus, it is definitely worth to listen to her 2025 song until the very, very end.

 

Malia – One Grass Skirt To London – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Malia – One Grass Skirt To London – My View

In the first half of One Grass Skirt To London, I felt that this album might lead to a fail. The songs feel having a too similar interpretation and it is a bit of boring and lacking character listening to the album. However, towards the middle of it, Malia is starting to show some very nice and strong interpretation, which definitely lifted my mood during the review.

Favorite Song: Maniac

 

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