Album Review: The Co-Star by Eric Benét
By framing himself as a co-star, Benét reminds us that longevity often hinges on the ability to listen first. The record refines last year’s teaser EP into a conversation about duets.
Eric Benét has spent the past decade largely outside the album cycle, yet the vocalist never considered stepping away from recording. The Co-Star arrives as a full-length reminder that his voice remains centered on connection. Rather than a traditional solo set, he shares every track with a guest—thirteen women whose styles span polished soul, quiet-storm intimacy, and breezy bossa nova. Benét positions himself not as the lead actor but as a partner, a “co-star” whose role is to highlight someone else’s brilliance. This idea builds upon the concept he floated on last year’s five-song Duets EP, expanding it from a teaser to a fully developed collaboration suite.
That progression was deliberate. In conversation about the project, Benét noted that many of his career peaks involved two-way chemistry and that he wanted to let “the music lead the way” when matching voices. The EP proved the logistics could work; scaling up required more scheduling and trust. He credits the album’s seamless flow to choosing partners whose vocal timbres, ranges, and storytelling instincts complemented the ideas already taking shape in his melodies. Those partners appear on an even spread of tempos and moods across the album’s fifty-plus minutes. Ari Lennox, Alex Isley, Keri Hilson, India.Arie, Corinne Bailey Rae, Tamar Braxton, Judith Hill, Goapele, Melanie Fiona, Jordin Sparks with newcomer Autumn Paige, Chanté Moore, Brazilian trio SalDoce, and Pia Toscano all make room for Benét’s falsetto without surrendering their own center of gravity.
Several other songs also debuted on the EP, including “Something We Can Make Love To” with Tamar Braxton and “So Distracted” with Chanté Moore. Their inclusion links past and present, showing how Benét used the shorter release to refine mixes and tighten vocal interplay before folding the material into a complete statement. The continuity shows his commitment to slow-build rollouts rather than disposable singles. Deep into the record, “Southern Pride” pairs Benét with Judith Hill for a tribute to family roots and the Great Migration. Hill’s gritty upper register balances Benét’s smoother tone, while organ swells nod to gospel heritage without slipping into retro pastiche. “More of the Same” with Goapele and “Me & Mine” with Melanie Fiona explore commitment at different life stages, each duet shaped by subtle shifts in percussion density and guitar voicing rather than sudden production pivots.
India.Arie steps through on “Must Be Love” with a checklist of signs that affection is genuine, and Benét mirrors each line, turning what could be called a call-and-answer into a single braided melody provided by Camper, who helped contribute in other songs. The opener “Gaslight” with Ari Lennox sets a tone of firm boundaries and mutual respect. Over unhurried bass lines and soft electric piano, Lennox counters manipulative second-guessing while Benét answers in tight harmony, reinforcing her stance rather than overshadowing it. The arrangement highlights the value of conversational back-and-forth; neither singer stretches beyond a comfortable mid-range, so the potency comes from phrasing and subtle harmonic shifts rather than vocal gymnastics.
Momentum climbs with “Can’t Wait” alongside Keri Hilson, which is one of the leading singles. The groove rides a springy kick-snare pattern and crisp rhythm guitar, with Hilson’s alto leaning into urgency while Benét sketches anticipation in his upper register. Camper keeps the sonic palette uncluttered, letting the singers trade concise hooks rather than extended melisma. Benét has called the track a dream fulfillment, and the chemistry underscores why he held space for this specific collaboration. But that conversational ease continues on “Remember Love,” where Alex Isley’s gentle head voice (who steals the show) floats around Benét’s falsetto. This one remembers a relationship that no longer exists, yet still shapes their present. Small call-and-response phrases outline a shared memory rather than a dispute, giving the track a reflective warmth. Minimal percussion leaves space for quiet guitar figures, allowing each vocal line to ring out clearly before the next one overlaps.
Deep into the record, “Southern Pride” pairs Benét with Judith Hill for a tribute to family roots and the Great Migration. Hill’s gritty upper register balances Benét’s smoother tone, while organ swells (with engaging horns) nod to gospel and soul heritage without slipping into retro pastiche. “More of the Same” with Goapele and “Me & Mine” with Melanie Fiona explore commitment at different life stages, each duet shaped by subtle shifts in percussion density and guitar voicing rather than sudden production pivots. World music touches the surface on the closing stretch. “Too Soon,” built with Brazilian trio SalDoce, layers their fulfilling chemistry over nylon-string guitar, giving Benét room to relax into a softer vibrato. “Eres Mi Vida,” featuring Pia Toscano, moves between English and Spanish lines atop a gentle bolero groove and restrained string fills. These choices widen the album’s palette without feeling like genre tourism, because Benét positions his voice as a guide rather than a gatekeeper.
Across the set, the unifying element is deference. Benét rarely pushes above the song’s emotional center; instead, he meets each partner at her level. That approach aligns with his stated goal to highlight women whose artistry shaped him or currently excites him. Calling the album The Co-Star is self-effacing and accurate. He supports, nudges, and sometimes steps back so the featured singer’s story can unfold with clarity. The connection to last year’s Duets EP is more than marketing. That short project functioned as proof of concept, previewing three songs that now sit naturally beside ten new pieces. For newcomers, the songs feel like integral chapters rather than bonus cuts, illustrating how initial sketches can evolve once an artist secures the right collaborators and thematic through-line.
Minor pacing lulls appear when consecutive mid-tempo tracks risk blending together (even if certain songs are better than others). Yet, even those moments reveal an artist comfortable enough to prioritize cohesion over flash. The Co-Star doesn’t reinvent Benét’s sound or break any mold. Instead, it refashions it. By ceding headline space to peers and protégés, he reinforces an R&B tradition built on communal expression. The album’s conversation, begun on Duets and now rendered in full color, shows that artistry can deepen with time away, provided the return is purpose-driven and collaborative at its core.
Great (★★★★☆)
Favorite Track(s): “Remember Love,” “Southern Pride,” “Me & Mine”