Last we checked in with Toronto’s Leanna Oki we were covering her powerful 2021 pop hit single “Warning Signs.” Since then she has officially released one more single, “I Taught You How To Dream” on July 8th, 2022. The subject of today’s review is her new single, “It Was All a Lie,” and it is fresh out the oven, just released as of September 30th! She is back with her enthralling, somber, and resonating vocal delivery as I attempt to hold back the tears and control my emotions enough to deliver my thoughts to you about this memorizing new song.
Healing must first begin with feeling the feels. Leanna Oki is niched in this particular genre of music. It’s not so much about what the subject matter is, as much as it is about “you aren’t in this alone.” Oki’s approach to artistic expression in this manner is what connects her so closely with her audience. Myself included. Her bio has described her song-writing as “self-expression and therapy,” and I think that hits the nail on the head. Sitting back and vibing to her music is indeed a therapeutic and cathartic experience. Lyrically, the premise, “It was all a lie” is a relatable one to most everybody. Again, putting aside the specific details that the artist might be personally speaking to, haven’t there been times in your own life where something happened, be it trauma realization, breakups, whatever it is, where reality hit you like a ton of bricks? Your world was flipped upside down, and it felt like everything you thought you knew was a lie. That is at the core of her expression on this track, in my interpretation and opinion.
Musically, the track is stripped down, acoustic, and atmospheric as you probably would expect for this artist’s approach. Her voice sails very smoothly over the composition. However, the subtly of the arrangement should not be overlooked in terms of how well this song carries along dynamically. A softly strummed acoustic guitar carries the verses in a singer songwriter fashion, making it easily a tune that could be carried over to stripped down open mic or café performance. Aesthetically, in full production, the keys, synth, and strings are tastefully placed at peak emotional moments. And in the rhythm section, the bass and drum hit right at the right spots going into the hook giving it that perfect “drop” when needed. The bass slaps, the beat knocks, all that good stuff we like in the modern era of pop music. I would recommend this music for fans of similar taste who enjoy Lorde.
If you enjoyed Leanna Oki’s music and would like to stay updated, be sure to check out her official website. For social media you can followher Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok accounts. To listen to her music, you can head over to her Spotify profile, Soundcloud, and Youtube channel, or you can purchase her music at Bandcamp.
You can also support the artist by streaming and sharing her music, which can be found in the following Playlists: Less Than 1,000 Followers, Fresh Singles, Indie Only, Female Rising Stars, and, 12 New Songs This Week.
Remember that you can always find me here AMS Radio for all my social media and collaborations.
P.S. If you enjoy discovering new artists and fresh new music you should subscribe to Less Than 1,000 Followers and follow the Playlist with all the artists we’ve talked about!
This coverage was created via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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