Estelle's stunning new single!

You may remember Estelle as 2004's "find the next Jamelia" London regional finalist.

Signed by Britney's label, Jive, she had one massive hit single (1980) then skipped the whole bit where you're supposed to have a similarly successful album and caught the number 26 bus straight to the dumper instead.

But something weird has happened, because lots of influential US producers have taken a day trip to that dumper and pulled Estelle out of it. They even decided she was hot and gave her lots of potential hit records to do her singing over the top of. Consequently, her new album has appearances from Cee-Lo, Mark Ronson, Wyclef Jean, will.i.am and, on her next single, Kanye West.

Called American Boy, it's got a relaxed, sun-bleached vibe. The cutesy, lovestruck lyrics are the sort of thing Jill Scott turns out in her sleep, but underpinning them is a tight little groove that sets controls directly for the heart of disco. In other words, it's superbrilliant.

Lyrically, Estelle has abandoned her UK roots and set her sights on something a bit more exotic. Hence, the chorus runs: "Take me on a trip, I'd like to go some day / Take me to New York, I'd love to see LA / I really want to, come kick it with you / You'll be my American boy (American boy)".

Something about the way Estelle half-swallows the refrain in a supressed giggle makes it the cutest thing you will hear committed to tape this year.

If this description isn't enough to convince you that you will love the song, I suppose you could always try listening to it. Stereogum has an mp3 for you.

Byeeee!

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