Lisa’s Alter Ego album has utilized a Western pop promotional roll-out, spawning new singles/music videos long after its release. Next Up is When I’m With You, a duet with South African singer Tyla. This feels like a natural pairing: two extremely charismatic artists “maximizing their joint slay,” as they say. Such a big collaboration deserves a song that lives up to the hype. When I’m With You is nice, but hardly a discography highlight for either performer.
The song does a good job pulling equally from both Lisa and Tyla’s oeuvre. The instrumental melds Afrobeats rhythms with American R&B touchstones and offers fertile ground for a rapped Lisa verse. Melodically, When I’m With You is soft and vibes-driven. The chorus simply repeats the title several times over, coasting along the groove with an easiness that’s quite pleasing. I also like how its structure plays as a real duet, with both Lisa and Tyla trading lines in a way that feels natural and engaging.
Ultimately, When I’m With You is too slight to get excited over, but if you’re looking for a more subdued addition to a summertime playlist this does a nice job setting the tone. I could certainly hear it becoming a radio hit, as it strikes a nice balance between trendy and timeless.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Tyla and Lisa were both performers at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show last October, along with Cher. I wonder if that connection lead to this. If so, hoping for a Lisa X Cher release next!
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I agree with most of what you say here, Nick! Hardly a discography highlight, but I was totally hyped over Tyla and Lisa collaborating because they got such good chemistry. It feels like they were genuinely excited to participate in a song with each other, and it shows.
Love the back and forth and how they sort of finish each other’s lines. I also enjoy both of their vocal performances in this song, they sound smooth and sweet. I also love the RnB and Afrobeats mix in the track.
One of my favorite songs in Alter Ego.
This is a 9 to me.
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to me, this sounds like background music in the best way. if i was in a party and this played, i’d be lightly grooving, hell, maybe even go to the dancefloor if im drunk enough.
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The mix of their style is done well here, but this just makes me want to listen to Tyla’s library more than Lisa’s.
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