Who You Need: Kehlani

Kehlani
Image: rapwave.net

 

WHO: Kehlani

WHERE: Oakland, CA

GENRE: R&B

TOP SONG: “The Way” feat. Chance the Rapper

 

“CRZY” kicked off the summer of Kehlani. I found myself playing it over and over. The sassy verses; “Everything I do, I do it with a passion, if I gotta be a bitch, I’mma be a bad one,” and thudding beat make you crank the bass and roll the windows down. The single artwork features what looks to be a cartoon version of the singer with one hand grabbing her opposite shoulder. A pair of brass knuckles is seen on her fingers. A grappling sense of independence makes Kehlani a bad ass in the R&B genre.

She later released the sultry and sweet, “Distraction” where she asks the question, “Are you down to be a distraction, baby?” Then accompanies hip/hop-rapper Belly on his track, “You.” A saucy duet between two lovers as they talk about sex, passion, and getting faded thinking about each other. Belly recites, “All about you, all about you…” over and over as Kehlani serves some serious sauce.

Just when you thought she couldn’t get hotter, a contribution to the Suicide Squad soundtrack put her back on the charts again. “Gangsta” is a hauntingly beautiful song about the intoxicating love that blinds two people. Her fairy-like vocals sing, “I need a gangsta, to love me better, than all the others do, to always forgive me, ride or die with me.” The lyrics are evil villain-worthy, while the backing music keeps the same dark powerful theme.


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Music Monday’s: Waves

Waves

Key Item: Tie Dye tank top

Key Materials: Ripped Denim

Shoe Situation: All black converse

Accessory Must: Rope bracelet

http://www.rap-up.com/

Miguel’s new album Wildheart is nothing short of wild sexual references and catchy 70’s esque vibes. “Waves” is no different. “Don’t stop, I wanna ride that wave, all night…” Miguel croons through sultry muffled vocals. A clap happy drum beat makes you wanna two step and throw on some bell bottoms or skate with your boo at a roller rink. Miguel’s layered vocals add a psychedelic element that go hand in hand with the explicit lyrics. Subtlety has never been Miguel’s strong suit, he makes it very clear what he wants; “Yeah, get wild baby, so hot, God damn, I need a towel baby, I could wipe you down right now baby, I could ride that wave right now baby.” AKA – not the song you want to play in the car with your mom on your way to go grocery shopping…

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mcbQiuPEyWc

“New Chapter, New Demi”

demi lovato

“I’m no longer serious…I’m done with the sob stories. New chapter, new life, new album, new single, this is a completely new Demi.” A cool Demi Lovato said to Ryan Seacrest recently on his radio show On Air with Ryan Seacrest .

Her new single, “Cool for the Summer” came out this past week just in time for the Fourth of July celebrations. A sultry Demi is heard on the verses and the gritty-rock Demi is heard on the chorus. “Don’t tell your mother, kiss one another, die for each other, we’re cool for the summer” are the lyrics Lovato spits out on her new rebellious track.

Seacrest quizzed Demi on her new music, including her motivation behind her new sound; “I’ve spent so long focusing on just kind of people pleasing, making everybody happy with being the best role model I can be. At the end of the day, yes I am outspoken about the things I believe in…I have all these things that make me a role model, but at the same time none of these things are really representing the bad ass that I am.” Get it girl!

Lovato and Ryan Seacrest
Lovato and Ryan Seacrest

Lovato had help from producer mastermind Max Martin in the studio. Martin is responsible for early pop hits from Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys and newer tunes from Taylor Swift and of course…Lovato herself. “I did this song (“Cool for the Summer”) with Max Martin…the trickiest part about this song was trying to not make the song too rock so that it could still go mainstream and not make it too pop to where its not rock anymore,” said Lovato.

She also told Seacrest that her album will feature a lot more provocative lyrics and ‘new’ elements. “I have a lot of rhythmic flares in there as well…There’s nobody in the pop industry that says ‘Don’t f*** with me’. I am totally that but in pop music,” she says.

Demi has already proved her singing chops with emotional songs like “Skyscraper” and her pop chops with songs like, “Really Don’t Care”, so now is her time to take risks and get a little saltier. She tells Seacrest, “There’s a side of me that people don’t get to see with my past music, but it’s been there. Just because I’m sober doesn’t mean that I’m judging anybody else for their stuff and it also doesn’t mean that I didn’t have a damn good time back then either.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq935KorD88

Although there’s no name for the album yet Lovato says, “I do love naming my albums after songs. It’ll (the title) come to me when it’s ready, just like the music.”

Could Demi’s next album be titled Cool for the Summer??

-Abbey 🙂

Music Monday’s: Escape Route

Escape Route

Key Item: Vivid graphic t-shirt

Key Materials: Leather short

Shoe Situation: A simple sandal or any shoe of your choice

Accessory Must: Bold lense sunnie

Photo via: http://dearryk.com
Photo via: http://dearryk.com

“I got a life out there somewhere its waiting, lined with palm trees and only new faces,” sound straight out of lead singer Hayley Williams’ dream diary. Paramore added this adventurous heavy track to the deluxe version of their self titled album, Paramore. “Escape Route” follows someone as they start on a new adventure; something most people can easily relate to. “I’m moving on, cause I just want to feel for once that I belong,” are the lyrics blurted out of Williams’ mouth as she effortlessly creates her new life plan. “Route” is reminiscient of Paramore’s earlier songs (especially All We Know Is Falling), because of its emphasis on heavy guitar and drums and a fast paced/repetitive chorus. Nothing like a straight up Paramore rock jam to motivate some positive life changes, right?!

-Abbey 🙂

The Summer of GALANTIS

image via http://press.wearebigbeat.com
image via http://press.wearebigbeat.com

Billboard Magazine named them the Best Dance Music Moment at Coachella this year while dance music website Dancing Astronaut named their set the Best Debut of the Festival. This duo is known as Galantis and they are going to dance their way into your hearts (or ears?) very soon. Made up of Christian Karlsson, aka Bloodshy, and Linus Eklöw, aka Style of Eye. These two are reinventing dance music and bringing diversity to each song they create. Both have devoted their careers to dance music and have now teamed together to form Galantis. Their full-length debut album is titled Pharmacy and will be available June 8.

At first listen, you become addicted to these guys. Everything they are producing is of the highest quality. They merge all the popular elements of dance music with futuristic vocals and sounds we’ve never heard before. Catchy hooks, and deep house drops make each song radio ready for the summer of GALANTIS. As I noticed they were releasing a new song every week in preparation for their debut album, I realized I was buying every single one…my workout playlist is forever grateful. These two create the type of music that is slightly hypnotizing yet consumingly emotional, it’s just that good.

image via http://www.josepvinaixa.com
image via http://www.josepvinaixa.com

“Runaway (U & I)” was the first song I heard by this duo. Using childlike vocals and heavy electronic repetition, I was immediately hooked. It feels futuristic yet the lyrics are so simplistic and touching; “I wanna runaway, anywhere out this place, just you and I.” Most dance songs can get old after a while, but Galantis never bores you, not once. The lyrics match the thematic element of the background sounds. It was also the #9 Most Shazamed Song at Coachella 2015.

“You” is a more recent single that caught my attention. Once again, using high-pitched anthemic vocals they pull you in as you patiently wait for what’s bound to be an epic drop. But that depends on what version you listen to. The original “You” is a lot lighter in terms of electronic beats than the remixes by Tiesto and so forth. You feel as though your hearing piano chords that are laced with computer touches. The original “You” sounds more pop/radio ready than the remixes do. The cool thing about Galantis is that they have so many remixes for this song. Each mix can give you a completely different vibe if you listen close enough, it’s quite fascinating actually.

On the other hand, my new favorite is “Peanut Butter Jelly”. Taking a vintage spin back in time, this song sounds like something you would hear on the Just Dance video game. Grab your dusty bell bottoms and swing your hips on the dance floor, maybe slip on some roller skates? It’s just an overall “feel good” song that revolves around the saying “spin it like peanut butter jelly.” Fun, right??

photo via http://edmchicago.com
SO. MUCH. FUN. photo via http://edmchicago.com

Christian and Linus talked to Brobible.com back in December about their music. “We give each song a treatment like it is our last song that we will ever write. We don’t do any fillers, we try to give all full attention both visually, and production and how its being released,” said Linus. When asked what they appreciate most about deep-house music, they said plain and simply, “the groove”. Galantis describe their music saying, “We bring something new to the table. We’ve got a solid toolbox that we use combining a lot of different music and it turned into something that’s missing. That’s why we wanted to do it, so yeah.” 

 

-Abbey 🙂