Bette Midler is an entertainment icon. The singer, actress and theatre star has been entertaining audiences for over 40 years and she’s showing no signs of slowing down. Her last studio album was the holiday collection Cool Yule that was released back in 2006. Now Bette is back with a brand new album, It’s The Girls, which celebrates the music of popular girl groups from across the ages.
It’s The Girls sees Bette collaborating with producers Marc Shaiman and Scott Riesettas she puts her own twist on 15 songs that will be instantly familiar to the listener. The album opens with Bette’s take on The Ronettes’ classic Be My Baby getting things off to a soulful start.
Bette makes sure to put her own stamp on the songs included on this album. Mr Sandman gets a ukulele Hawaiian makeover, You Can’t Hurry Love gets a country twang, and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow is stripped back to an emotive piano ballad.
Perhaps the most surprising moment on the album is Bette’s version of the TLC classic Waterfalls. She transforms the track from an R&B classic into a piano-led ballad. Vocally it’s one of the more restrained performances from Bette on the album and it’s an interesting twist on a song iconic to fans of 90s R&B.
Throughout the album it’s Bette’s vocals that really impress. One Fine Day is one of the songs where Bette does all of the vocal parts and she sounds incredible. The backing vocals blend perfectly with the lead vocals for a powerhouse performance. Her personality shines on the uptempo Give Him A Great Big Kiss which sees Bette serving some sass with her backing singers.
It’s The Girls is a timely reminder of the power and enduring talent of Bette Midler. Vocally there are few people that come close to Bette and she has a powerful range that is showcased wonderfully across this collection. There are some really interesting versions of classic songs here and It’s The Girls should be a firm favourite for a Christmas stocking filler this festive season.
