Sitting on the threshold between disappointment and longing, Shaleyah’s “Capacity” is an honest, soulful, and beautifully heartbreaking track about misplacing your trust in an unfaithful partner. Sung over a melancholic guitar melody and a snappy R&B beat that adds a touch of groove, this catchy song details how it feels to still care for someone who has, in every sense of the word, betrayed you.
“Said you want all of me,” Shaleyah sings in the chorus, “but I’m realizing that you don’t have capacity.”
Hailing from Houston, Texas, Shaleyah is a recording artist who is not afraid to get vulnerable with her listeners. With her 2021 EP ranging from tracks such as “Enough”, a heartfelt tune expressing a commitment to self-love, and “Trap Lady”, a neo-soul song reminiscent of the sounds of Erykah Badu, Shaleyah’s style is not only vulnerable but also self-affirming.
Co-written and produced by Roc Nation’s Twan Da God and 6lement, “Capacity” captivates listeners with its soulful composition, as its guitar melody, synth, and powerful bass line add further weight to its lyrical themes. As a guitar strums a consistent, introspective melody, Shaleyah sings equally evocative vocals over a dynamic beat, immediately inviting listeners to relate with the song’s emotional themes. Akin to the music of Summer Walker, “Capacity” brings you into the depths of heartbreak in a satisfyingly relatable way. Shaleyah’s vocal talent makes the song’s emotional subject all the more moving as she embellishes the track with soulful riffs.
As the lyrics sing of reaching a breaking point in dealing with a clearly disinterested partner, Shaleyah maintains a careful balance between a sense of disappointment, a newfound will to move on, and a stubbornly persistent sense of love for someone who has done you wrong. In detailing these painfully simultaneous emotions, “Capacity” does a great job at explaining complex, post-heartbreak feelings that are often hard to articulate and admit.
The track’s well-written and heartfelt lyricism, thoughtful production, and soulful vocals make it easy for listeners to relate to this story of love and shattered trust. Fans of R&B and Soul should take a listen and look out for Shaleyah’s growing musical prowess.