Marsha Ambrosius Releases Casablanco After 5-year Break
After five years, the Grammy-nominated artist, Marsha Ambrosius made her long-awaited return to the R&B/Soul scene with her highly anticipated fourth solo-album, Casablanco. Produced by none other than the brilliant Dr. Dre, this album features songs like “Smoke”, “Greedy”, and “Music Of My Mind”, that will transcend you into an emotional and euphoric atmosphere.
Although it has been six years since her last album’s release Nyla, she has not let her musical talent and ideas go to waste. Ambrosius has assisted in writing songs for several music artists such as Alicia Keys, H.E.R and even Michael Jackson. Dr. Dre and Ambrosius have been collaborating since the early 2000s, with Dre’s album Compton being their most recent project in 2015.
Ambrosius has been teasing the new album on Instagram since 2021, by posting pictures with Dr. Dre in the studio and captioning, “This is some of my best work!!!” But it wasn’t until December of 2023 when the artist officially released “The Greatest’” as the first single to Casablanco.
Ambrosius recalls track 2, “Tunisian Nights”, as the inspiration for the album title. All 11 songs hold something individually special and unique, taking the listener on an exciting and rhythmic journey. Inspired by old Hollywood, Dr.Dre suggested, “that instead of Casablanca, how about we call it Casablanco so it’s a bit more gangster.”
By taking inspiration and sampling several artists such as George Benson and Duke Ellington, Ambrosius was able to craft an album that holds multiple layers of various music genres, and even includes a 27-piece live orchestra that instantly grabs the attention of anyone who listens. Track 3, “One Night Stand” samples Mary Jane Girls song, “All Night Long” which makes for an up-beat and familiar sound.
Marsha Ambrosius’ impact on the music industry is undeniable and with the successful release of Casablanco, only great outcomes can be expected in her future. Listen to the album wherever you get your music from and experience the musical journey for yourself.