Estelle ft. Kanye West: 'American Boy'

If you were making a checklist for a record company trying to find the next pop sensation, Estelle would tick every box. Sassy good looks of Beyoncé? Check. Bravado and mouth of Amy and Lily? Check. Mates with the hottest property in America, Mr. Kanye West? Check. With this in mind, it's all the more baffling that her last single, 'Wait A Minute (Just Touch)', failed to make the slightest dent on the UK top 40.

'American Boy' finds her roping in pal Kanye to rap about WAGS and designer suits in a bid to rescue her career from free-fall. The sad thing is that it shouldn't have taken a guest spot from the self-proclaimed King of Hip-Hop to make this tune a hit. It already boasts bags of self-confidence ("Don't like his baggy jeans but I like what's underneath 'em," she purrs at one point), a winning chorus and sultry, super-sleek production from Will.i.am and John Legend. Glossier and smarter than most her contemporaries, all Estelle needs now are the record sales to match her obvious talents.


> Click here for our review of Estelle's Shine album