Wicked Woman by Tori Boltwood: Review

by Gabe Finch July 30, 2022

July 30, 2022

Wicked Woman by Tori Boltwood: Review

The Texas solo singer-songwriter Tori Boltwood’s new single Wicked Woman is a fierce anthem of empowerment.

Co-written with James Tabor, the song unapologetically embodies the fierce notion that you don’t need to be loved by someone else to love yourself. Inspired by the musical “Wicked”, the song draws a lot of imagery and theatrical elements to give it an edgy sound that matches the lyrics. The artist intended it to feel like a movie scene where the main character stops conforming to social norms and embraces the label of “wickedness” that comes with the non-conformation to liberate herself. The track opening with a dramatic organ announcing the “death of love” perfectly kick-started the dramatic edginess that only grew more as the song progressed.

Starting with a dark church organ, the song incorporates different styles of rhythm and instruments to match the edginess of the lyrics. Following the organ, a steady thumping beat and keys take the rhythm section while Tori starts building up with her dynamic vocals. Her vocal expressions go from being seductive to teasing to nonchalant to mischievous to soulfully melodic to bursting with energy in a matter of seconds flawlessly and it’s really unpredictable what’s coming next. This non-conventional structure while somehow still managing to have a catchy hook combined with the unique dynamic vocals of Tori really adds to the theatrical aspects of the song and feels like a breath of fresh air where all the songs sound the same.