Coming from the UK with help from Ne-Yo, Conor Maynard is an energetic burst of fresh air. His debut album Contrast, although quirky and different from today’s pop artists, hides his full potential behind boy band beats.

A twenty-year-old singer and model from Brighton, UK, Maynard is Ne-Yo’s “protégé” to tackle on the billboards in the U.S.

His song, “Vegas Girl,” is probably just what you imagined. It’s catchy and upbeat, but it’s not different from what most of us have heard already. But his song, “Another One,” is one that I recommend checking out. It’s one of those songs that you’d have playing in the background as you eat froyo with your friends in the summer, then shopping and having a montage. Moreover, his song “Turn Around” featuring Ne-Yo, is one that I expect to be on a new Just Dance game pretty soon. Check that one out too!

He does have smooth songs on the album which show a different side of him, in comparison to his club-type songs. “Pictures,” which is written by Frank Ocean, contains falsettos that are both soothing and new for someone his age. His constant drift towards these simple beats, however, undermines the exceptional quality of songs like “Pictures.”

His record does highlight his vocal talent and it does paint him as a miniature Justin Timberlake, but it doesn’t shy away from the classic sing-about-girls-and-partying theme. Maynard is new, and there’s no question that he’s trying to come out from the shadows. Hopefully in the years to come, he uses more of what makes him different instead of trying to be a replica of well-known Pop and R&B artists.