We happily interrupt your regularly scheduled weekly blog for the creator industry to instead present another song review because it means that a melodic needle has been found in the haystack of submissions.
This time around the track that gave me great joy to not have to hit the Decline button on is a tune called “Suffocate,” from an artist named Rae Lou. It just came out a little over six weeks ago and I’m optimistic that it has been enjoying increased growth and popularity.
Bravo, Rae! I like it. The voice is interesting. At a time when too many female vocalists are all copying the same sound, the tones I heard on "Suffocate" were a refreshing and inviting change. I also like the less-is-more approach with predominantly piano, although the cello and guitar were nice additions in moderation.
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As for the message in the song, it’s notable that the song was released as a lead-in to Mental Health Awareness Month, yet the track can and will still be impactful the other eleven months of the year. I felt the emotion in the performance, which is helpful and needed to convey the importance of what is being described.
Regarding the aforementioned Decline button, I have been getting a lot of songs sent to me lately and was nervous going in because I’ve been rejecting more than I’d like to, but when my name goes on the review, my reputation is on the line as much as the artist’s. I tried to go into this one rooting for it to impress me. The description of the song, which I read before I pressed Play, sounded interesting. I was a little nervous when I saw a running time of close to four-and-a-half minutes, but guess what? I stuck around for every second of the four minutes and 24 seconds of “Suffocate.”
Here's a pro tip for those of you sending out songs for review consideration. A test that I’ve created for my evaluations is, once I’ve listened to the song, is it something I would want to add to my own personal Spotify playlist? The lesson there is, do your homework on what music the reviewer seems to green light with some degree of regularity.
It’s no wonder that I turned up that Rae Lou served as a backup vocalist for Nicole Scherzinger, although I’m amazed that this is her debut single, what with a voice that sounds like it has been doing recordings for many years.
While the song succeeded in the area that I’ve mentioned in previous song reviews, which is, making me want to go look up the artist and see, in this case, what else Rae Lou has done and is doing, it also is going to put on my radar the upcoming feature film that inspired the song. I like seeing that type of inspiration, as some guests on my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast have referred to finding song ideas in NOT just their own life or their family and friends. So, it’s especially notable that in the case of “Suffocate,” it was done film first, song second, rather than all the artists nowadays who are trying to create songs and then get them placed in films (and television).
With this being a successful debut release, the pressure will be on Rae Lou to come back strong with her sophomore effort. For now, though, it’s a time to take a step back, smile, celebrate, initiate a self-imposed pat on the back, and keep pushing the song out for more to enjoy.
Have questions for me about the entertainment industry? For almost 20 years I’ve been helping indie music artists, entrepreneurs, authors, small business owners, podcasters, and more. You likely don’t need to become a Now Hear This client but could probably benefit from a phone call to take advantage of all my experience. Get in touch and let’s chat about keeping you moving forward.