Here’s a deep-dive feature on the singles from Angela Bofill’s 1981 album Something About You

Here’s a deep-dive feature on the singles from Angela Bofill’s 1981 album Something About You — including production notes, lyrical meaning, and how they fit into her career story.

🎶 Angela Bofill — Something About You: The Singles That Defined Her Sophisticated Soul

By 1981, Angela Bofill had already established herself as one of the most striking new voices in R&B and jazz-infused soul. With her third studio album, Something About You, she continued refining her sound — expanding beyond her earlier jazz roots into a sleeker, more radio-friendly R&B style.

The project, produced by Narada Michael Walden (fresh off success with Aretha Franklin and Stacy Lattisaw), yielded two singles that stand out as highlights in her catalog: “Something About You” and “Holdin’ Out for Love.”

💜 1. “Something About You”

Release Year: 1981
Chart Peak: #21 on Billboard R&B Singles

The title track and lead single, “Something About You”, captures the album’s essence: elegant, romantic, and tastefully groovy. Built on a rhythmic pulse of soft percussion, electric keys, and horns, it’s classic early-’80s R&B — polished but full of heart.

Angela’s vocal performance radiates warmth. She doesn’t belt; she glides, using tone and phrasing to pull you in. There’s an effortless sensuality to her delivery — the kind that made her stand out in an era dominated by powerhouse singers.

Lyrically, the song expresses the timeless pull of attraction — that ineffable quality that makes someone unforgettable. The hook, “There’s something about you, baby, can’t get you off my mind,” is pure melodic charm.

🎧 Vibe: Smooth, breezy, grown-and-sexy.
💬 Best moment: When the horns slide in during the bridge — a reminder of how musically rich her productions always were.

❤️ 2. “Holdin’ Out for Love”

Chart Peak: #26 on Billboard R&B Singles

The follow-up single, “Holdin’ Out for Love,” shows a more assertive side of Angela’s artistry. Produced again by Narada Michael Walden, the song balances uptempo funk rhythms with pop crossover energy, blending handclaps, layered backing vocals, and crisp guitar licks.

Here, Bofill sings from a place of strength — she’s not desperate for love; she’s waiting for the right one. The track’s lyrical theme of patience and self-value fit perfectly into the empowering spirit that was starting to shape female R&B in the early ’80s.

🎧 Vibe: Funky, confident, and radio-ready.
💬 Best moment: Angela’s final chorus, where her voice climbs with conviction — you can feel the fusion of jazz phrasing and pop power.

🎵 Album Context & Legacy

While Something About You didn’t reach the commercial heights of her earlier hit Angel of the Night, it marked an important creative transition. Under Narada Michael Walden’s production, Angela leaned further into mainstream R&B without abandoning her musicianship and jazz sensibility.

Both singles received strong airplay on urban contemporary and smooth-soul radio, especially on stations that favored sophisticated, melodic R&B — the kind of sound that would soon influence artists like Phyllis Hyman, Anita Baker, and Sade.

🌹 Why These Singles Still Matter

“Something About You” and “Holdin’ Out for Love” showcase Angela Bofill’s rare balance: technical precision, emotional depth, and genre-blending elegance. They’re songs that remind us why she was — and still is — revered as one of the most underrated voices of her generation.

In a musical landscape that was shifting toward synth-driven pop and dance grooves, Angela managed to stay soulful and sophisticated, proving that class and passion never go out of style.