TAMIA - Passion Like Fire (2018)

Every so often, an unforgettable voice comes along. One possessed by a deep-rooted passion that subtly powers a soulful, silky sound that will never go out of style. The voice in question: Tamia. Three years after releasing her No. 1-debuting R&B album Love Life, Tamia is back with the sizzling single “Leave It Smokin’.” Already a No.1 hit at urban AC after a short time on the chart, “Leave It Smokin’” sets the alarm for Passion Like Fire, Tamia’s seventh studio album. The album in turn also marks another momentous occasion: the 20th anniversary of Tamia’s critically acclaimed, selftitled 1998 debut album. The album initiated a string of hits that the six-time Grammy® Award nominee has steadily spun, including “You Put a Move on My Heart,” and “Missing You” with Brandy, Gladys Knight and Chaka Khan. The tracks comprising Passion Like Fire are no exception. The aforementioned “Leave it Smokin’” reunited Tamia with hit maker Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse, Jazmine Sullivan, Miguel), who also produced the Grammy® Award-nominated title track from the singer’s 2012 album Beautiful Surprise. In addition to Remi, Tamia reteamed with two more previous collaborators, Lil Ronnie (Tamia’s Love Life album, Mary J. Blige) and Grammy® Award winner Shep Crawford (Tamia’s Hot 100 top 10 hit “Stranger in My House,” Deborah Cox). Tamia also worked for the first time with Latin producer Andres Torres (Marc Anthony), who contributed the big ballad “Deeper.” Sequenced to mirror the various stages of a relationship, Passion Like Fire’s additional track standouts include the vibey, Sade-ish “Better,” mid-tempo ballad “Stay” and potential 2018 wedding song “Today I Do.”