This edition of LITM Singer-Songwriter Picks showcases sheer artistic talent and affecting storytelling from artists Arya Rao, B. Snipes, Kristian Phillip Valentino, Sophia Rogers, and Lisa Humber.
Arya Rao - Cry Love
Los Angeles-based Indian-Australian artist Arya Rao sweeps you away with her silky, sultry vocals, expansive, ethereal soundscapes, and heart touching themes. Her rich background in operatic, Indian classical, and choral music plays into her compositions reflecting impressive talent and ingenuity. The latest release, Cry Love, has a poignant, profound, and powerful sound that envelops you in its majestic yet minimal musical landscape. Wistful, luminous piano notes delicately flicker in the musical medium as lush atmospheric harmonies emerge in a mounting, magnificent display. Arya Rao’s commanding vocals beam out emotionally-charged, sincere melodies, illuminating the sound with meaning. Cry Love pulls you into a boundless, brilliant soundscape that is hard to get out of. Listen here!
B. Snipes - All Along
Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter B. Snipes crafts a heartfelt, warm, and affecting sound in latest release, All Along. The alt folk, indie folk ambiance instantly puts you in a state of reminiscence and reflection, both soothing and stirring your soul. This riveting story of a road trip romance comes alive with richly-textured, atmospheric guitars, galloping drum beats moving with steady strides, and expressive, emotive vocal melodies. The polished, lush production makes the song all the more immersive and evocative, completely transporting you into an exciting, love-soaked, passionate love story. Snipes’ poetic and relatable lyricism records the lingering beauty and warmth of fleeting moments and emotional connections, painting vivid scenes that feel both personal and universal. All Along is a captivatingly beautiful and heartening song. Listen here!
Kristian Phillip Valentino - Evil of this World
Kristian Phillip Valentino is a singer-songwriter based in the serene Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC. Crafting Alt Country and Folk melodies with raw, heartfelt lyrics that offer solace and healing, the artists soundscapes offer balmy warmth and relatable stories. Evil of this World is a compelling single from the latest EP, The Sun Is Setting. The song is a profound and poetic exploration of facing the dark, chaotic, and challenging truths of the real world as you step into adulthood, a swift and stark change from the protected, nurtured realm that one exists in as a child or young adult. The soundscape immerses you in a mystical, stripped-back, and contemplative atmosphere that is created by intricate and emotive acoustic guitar melodies. This puts Kristian’s magnificent vocals in the spotlight, the raw, impassioned voice drawing rousing melodies that soar and fall with awe-inspiring elegance and skill. Listen here!
Sophia Rogers - All but Mine
Lose yourself in the dark, deep, and devastatingly beautiful soundscape of All but Mine by New York’s Sophia Rogers. The artist puts on a sensational folk rock show, the soaring instrumentation, powerful vocal performance, and gripping lyricism converging into a flawless composition that exudes rousing, raw intensity. The lyrical story is one of betrayal, escape, and longing, bringing out the tumultuous emotions that these experiences evoke. Channeling that anguish and endurance into the music, the soundscape displays somber guitars, hazy atmospherics, driving drum rhythms, and lush harmonies. Sophia’s emotionally-charged, commanding vocals towers above the sound, like a lighthouse above a sea of mist, beaming the impassioned melodies straight into your soul. All but Mine is a striking, soul-stirring musical work. Listen here!
Lisa Humber - Blue Christmas
Former stage manager turned musician, Lisa Humber unearthed and claimed her own voice as an artist in the year 2020, amidst the stillness and silence of a paused world. Since then she has steadily composed songs that blend the soft soulfulness of indie pop with the strength and depth of heartfelt lyricism. The latest release, Blue Christmas, is rather a wistful, ruminative release that dwells on the absence of a loved one during the festive season. Capturing the melancholy, loneliness, and dullness of being separated from the one you love, the soundscape forms through reflective, wailing guitar melodies, slow rhythms, and sweeping harmonies. Lisa’s beautiful, soulful vocals heave with the heaviness of the theme, imbuing the melodies with a vulnerability that is affecting. Blue Christmas makes your heart hurt and heal at the same time with its sad yet soothing sound. Listen here!
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