Then, she’s claiming not to be a stereotype, but is she really so avant-garde?

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[5.80]

Scott Mildenhall: When you fetishise individuality to the point it becomes Individuality, it’s no longer individuality. If you make a point of not being down with a stereotype, then you are still answering to that stereotype. Genuine disinterest can only be proved by lack of interest in or even awareness of the possibility of proof, so you can only really prove it to yourself, and if you realise you have the proof, then you’re still thinking about it. Don’t worry though, because as Laura Mvula showed, as long as you move on, then that’s alright. Good message, catchy song.
[7]

Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy: Glances at Sampda Sharma’s previous material show a good artist requiring a little definition: RiRi inflections in 2009, “Pon De Floor” wave-riding in 2012. She came close with the disco glimmer and shrugging optimism of 2010’s “Good With the Bad”, and returns to that bright-eyed Colgate smile vibe on “Stereotype”. It isn’t incredibly fascinating — the word “stereotype” is too blocky a word to sound good — but Sharma’s confidence is pretty infectious, bringing to mind Robyn’s work with Teddybears and Janelle’s “Tightrope”. I would not be mad if this came on the radio, especially if I get to continue hearing that P-funk talkbox at the end.
[6]

Megan Harrington: It takes longer than it should to catch on that “stereotype” is a play on words used to refer to the typical radio sound. Samsaya makes this pun to the familiar strains of a Santigold or Lykke Li or Nelly Furtado song. Amusingly, though lacking in any of the individual qualities that propelled those artists, she does sound like a stereotype. Her wordplay is about as clever as Alanis Morissette’s definition of irony. 
[5]

Anthony Easton: The message of this song is beyond banal, and the vocals could leave or go, but the shifting of Indian and Western percussion are seamless, and just are there to prove a point better than what has been spoken. Extra point for my favorite ooooh chorus so far this year. 
[7]

Katherine St Asaph: But everyone dances to these pop horns eventually. Ask Shakira, ask Rihanna. Bumped a point for the prechorus, which is like The Lovely Eggs taking over. That’s musical omnivorism I can get behind.
[5]

Crystal Leww: The vocal delivery here is so Gwen Stefani that it’s uncanny. But those comparisons are unfair to Samsaya, who does her high-energy cool gal positivity with infinitely less racism. The empowering rejection of stereotype could be incredibly trite, could be a couple of years behind the Born This Way led trend, but Samsaya, an Indian-born Norwegian 34 year-old female trying to make it with hot pop beats is contrary to any and all stereotypes. Best of all, “Stereotype” is so great, relying on an artist with enough charisma to sell it and carried by beat that manages to simultaneously boom and propel.
[7]

Edward Okulicz: Samsaya has lots of talent and charisma, but sounds like she’s not sure what she should be doing — the lyrics are predictable and cookie cutter and the way she delivers them doesn’t jump out past the dominating fuzzed-out bass and drums. So, essentially, she’s the least danceable aspect on her own would-be fun and danceable identity-positioning, stereotype-rejecting track. Her verse on Bertine Zetlitz’s “Electric Feet” showed she can jump out of the speakers  — she needs to do that again.It’s almost there though, it just needs a little more Neneh Cherry bitchy sass in the verses to go along with the Nelly Furtado swagger of the chorus.
[6]

Jonathan Bradley: “Sitting at a bus stop, listening to hip-hop.” Earl Stevens or Earl Sweatshirt? Kanye or KRS-One? Macklemore or Monie Love? I mean, “hip-hop” isn’t here as a mere signifier in a song full of them, is it?
[4]

Brad Shoup: I mean, if you gotta spell out your extra-boxular tendencies, that’s pretty obnoxious. Thank heavens for those backing vox, existential in places, in others knowingly cool in that fine Norwegian fashion. The track is a bunch of fuzzy rolls and swinging bassy drums; I prefer to hear her when she’s not declaring negatives.
[7]

Alfred Soto: She’s kicked around for a few years, peaking with a song on The Wrestler. With its hot-cold/rock-roll rhyme and squeaky vocals harmonizing with a dinky organ, this is not going to break her. 
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