Ready for something fresh? Then brace yourselves for this new track. Local R&B/Soul musician Bea Lorenzo is here to make her mark with “Ili (Hush).”
Her debut is fresh from this year’s Elements Music Camp. Bea released the single last Nov. 14 on music platforms, while its Simon Te-directed music video made its debut a week ago.
Having been active in the local music circuit for quite some time now, her single doesn’t only serve as a milestone. It also breaks boundaries and expectations on what local R&B/Soul should sound like.
From the song to the music video itself, “Ili (Hush)” goes beyond its purpose of a debut track.
Bea prides herself as a “kalimba artist.” Pushing the limits of where the sound of her kalimba takes her, she has an experimental take on R&B/Soul. She melds traditional instruments with modern music production, bringing something new to the local music scene.
The track is inspired by “Ili-Ili Tulog Anay,” a traditional Hiligaynon lullaby. Her inspiration contradicts the track’s intent, though. Bea’s single is not here to lull anyone, but rather wake everyone up about chaos’ true purpose.
Bea’s single is not here to lull anyone, but rather wake everyone up about chaos’ true purpose.
With lyrics that go “In this battle of faith, does anyone ever win it?/ In this haggle for truth, does anyone ever see it?” the track ponders on the necessity of discord. It urges its listeners to be level-headed when facing adversities. Choosing battles, keeping our guard, and fighting when its right are the takeaways from the track.
Its music video embraces the track’s essence of being the calm in the middle of a storm. Bea merges her two artistic pursuits, music and ballet, to give her track a visual identity. A clean cinematic composition mixed with earthy tones served as the interpretative dancers’ backdrop.
From the song to the music video itself, “Ili (Hush)” goes beyond its purpose of a debut track. It’s a unique experience all together. We hear and see Bea exploring where her sound will take her. And by the looks of it, it’s going to take us to some uncharted places yet to be ventured.
Art by Marx Fidel
Photo by Michael Gonzales