20 March 2014
Our previous 2014 number one, ‘Rather Be’ by Clean Bandit, included a feature credit for then-unknown guest vocalist Jess Glynne that effectively launched her career. However, the vocalist on DJ-producer Duke Dumont’s ‘I Got U’, Kelli-Leigh, doesn’t get a feature credit – that goes to the other DJ-producer here, Jax Jones. Now, unless there’s some contractual hoopla or extreme shyness at play, would it not have killed the Duke to throw another ‘ft’ to the up-and-coming singer as a step-up for her career?
Discreet Whitney interpolation aside, ‘I Got U’ is a mild summer-dancefloor workout whose priority is nailing that sun-kissed Insta-post vibe: languid deep house sound; steel drums; even a video with the de rigueur holiday-ad first-person perspective of your plus-one holding out their hand to drag you excitedly to the pool, the beach party, and the all-day English breakfast at The Dog & Brexit.
In truth, Kelli-Leigh’s wistful delivery of the romantic lyrics is what does the heavy lifting for ‘I Got U’. And if you’re hoping she gets her due rewards, then she also sings on another 2014 UK number one, ‘I Wanna Feel’ by DJ-producer Secondcity – but doesn’t get a feature credit on that either.
