British pop singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield made a huge splash as a new artist in late 2005 and early 2006. Her first two singles, “These Words” and “Unwritten” crackled with energy and wit that seemed to signal a unique pop talent was emerging. However, following up such an auspicious beginning has been a difficult task for Bedingfield. “I Wanna Have Your Babies,” the first single from her second album N.B., peaked at a relatively disappointing #7 in the UK in the spring of 2007 causing Epic Records to delay release of a single in the US. 6 months later “Love Like This” is being promoted as the first American single from the album.
Where Natasha Bedingfield’s first hits inspired with their words of self-awareness and personal encouragement, “Love Like This” is a somewhat dull, breezy, simplistic dissertation on romance between long-term friends. It would be very easy for this single to get lost amid more unique or challenging pop songs. Natasha Bedingfield sounds like just another pop singer here. Uniqueness and the ability to stand out are lacking.
In a clear effort to give the song a pop boost, Sean Kingston is brought in for a brief featured part. This vocal serves no purpose other than providing an extra element for the single’s marketing campaign. Natasha Bedingfield needs to step up her game if she will avoid losing a significant part of her initial pop audience.
