Miss Universe demonstrates Nilufer Yanya’s commercial and critical credibility as she shows off her direct songwriting and never-ending creativity. Based around a fictional self-help, self-improvement health programme, the regular intermissions thread this concept throughout the record, splitting the album into stages of therapy. Importantly, the album never gets tied down by this concept. You could remove the intermissions and you would still have a coherent, gripping record, but by including them, Yanya’s artistry comes to the forefront and the songs are given more definitive meanings as a result.
Yanya’s indefinite versatility and effortless vocal, which floats amongst the instrumental arrangements, is the focal point of the record. ‘In My Head’ grips you instantly, it’s rock-pop sound something completely new from Yanya, the album explodes into life with these grunge-inspired tropes. Elsewhere, influences from The xx, King Krule and even The Strokes can be found.
The songs never outstay their welcome, but equally never rush to get to their end point. Yanya builds them up until their climax, but never lets anything go on for too long. They’re never over-complicated either. She takes care of each riff, each sax-solo, every note is caressed lovingly. Absolutely nothing is there just for the sake of it, there’s always a purpose.
No matter who wins that silly beauty pageant this year, we all know there’s only one, true Miss Universe in 2019.
