Kelly Rowland

A snippet of Kelly Rowland’s new song, “Gone”, has been circulating around the web for over a week but the full version of the track finally been released. Featuring rapper Wiz Khalifa, “Gone” will appear on Rowland’s Talk a Good Game album, which will hit stores on June 18th. That’s right, next week!

“Gone” samples Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” and gets its title from Janet Jackson’s “Got ’til it’s Gone (Ft. Q-Tip”. However, the Harmony Samuels production follows a similar structure to hits by post-The Emancipation of Mimi Mariah Carey with the finger-snapping beat and piano-led melody. Rowland’s vocal arrangement also channels the styling of the diva, who she named as an influence for Talk a Good Game.

Listen to Rowland’s “Gone” song below:

“Gone” is a catchy record and a strong contender for single treatment as the arrangement suits the upbeat vibe of summer radio. Although Khalifa’s verse should have been replaced by Big Sean, whose tone works much better with Rowland’s voice, it didn’t take away from song. Overall, “Gone” is a solid effort and yet another win for Rowland.