There is a saying, “if your heart is broken, make art with the pieces.” A quote from Canadian poet Shane Koyczan. For a San Diego based artist that goes only by the name of Randi, she too must have felt that was the best suited approach for writing, recording, and producing her latest single “Dancing with a Broken Heart.” Released last Friday, September 30th. This serves to be her third release of the year and second single since dropping a debut album back in March. However, as she elaborates on during the verses of the new song, the ensuing summer since the album’s release was not the “hot girl summer” one might have anticipated. Although the song is somber and invokes feelings of sadness at times, the actual underlying theme is one of resiliency and pressing on. To quote the artist:
“Dancing with a Broken Heart” is the story of picking up the pieces of my heart after a discouraging breakup. It’s about my journey to loving myself and my life again and I am certain other people can relate to that message.
Randi on the meaning of the song
Outside of what is a great tune that appears to be showing a venerable side of this artist, if you were to look at the overall body of work and where she has come from, there would be no doubt in your mind that those pieces were indeed going to be picked back up and she was going to bounce back. That’s just one more amazing thing about music, it is but a snapshot in time. The self-proclaimed “prettiest sore thumb” in her small hometown of Boise, Idaho has been no stranger to facing adversity and overcoming challenges as a bi-racial young woman. I myself being a bi-racial, well okay, old man now, born in Nampa (suburb of Boise, look it up) can sympathize with some of that plight. She moved to L.A., attended USC, and completed Berkley’s music certification program. Today, she is her own producer, engineer, and songwriter. So, you dance right through that heartbreak girl, you know you got this.
Musically, I love what sounds like a genre mix of pop, R&B, and New Wave. A shimmering post-punk guitar tone riffs throughout the song varying back and forth between levels of distortion in the company of a danceable backbeat. The drums almost remind me of Motown honestly, tone-wise and/or effects wise. Randi’s vocal performance terrific, soulful, and moving. I really dig this tune! If I were to give you a “hot take” or tagline to apply to it, I would say … it’s like Beach Bunny with an R&B twist. It’s great. Randi is also quite aware of the genre-bending results of her music, but obviously is not letting it take up any head space. To the contrary, she embraces it:
My music is all over the place in the most chaotically beautiful way. People are not one thing; therefore my music does not conform to one genre or one sound. The through line of my music is that it is always honest, and it is always human.
Randi on her “style of music”
Couldn’t agree more! Beautiful chaos fosters an environment for the best art, in my opinion. Sometimes that chaos is blissful, sometimes it’s tragic. The art always reflects that. Congrats on the new release Randi.
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