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| Screen shot from the BRAND NEW 'Diamond Eyes' video by Hands Up Music's Recording Artist Lexu Strate |
by CA Marshall
Only hours after the ‘day of love’ does Hands Up Music
Recording Artist Lexi Strate strategically release the ‘mother of all heartbreak’
songs in her new video (single was previously released February 8th,
2016) ‘Diamond Eyes’ (click to view the video here). I say this, because this has been a much anticipated
release for us at Starlight Music Chronicles (SMC). Both the branding for the
single release and the single itself all coincide with the video release today:
Stellar!
SMC has followed many of the brilliant Recording Artists
that have worked with Hands Up producers Dan Davidson and Ari Rhodes over the
last few years such as Bryan Finlay and Rachel Woznow who have both appeared as
feature Artists on the cover of our first two issues of SMC Magazine. Last
July, Strate released her video ‘Antidote’ (see our review here) with a
colorful bang and was already on the SMC radar as ‘one to watch’. This time
around, she has enlisted herself as one we will definitely keep on our radar.
Why? She’s totally proven herself as an Artist who is consistent in her
presentation while being able to create something brilliant and new every time.
Diamond Eyes is essentially a song about heartbreak and
longing but it isn’t just ‘any heartbreak song’ it’s THE song. Strate’s ‘grown up’ thick chalky vocals
reminiscent of Nina Simone and PINK are truly iconic and easily identifiable
when heard on radio (and, we BETTER hear this song on radio!). The brilliant
lyrics and production of the Hands Up Music team prove that this is a team that
is truly in touch with their Artists: elevating them to their maximum potential
and setting them free to the world. This is demonstrated in the boundaries
Strate has pushed for herself past and present with the support of the Hands Up team.
The vocals in this number produce an end result that can be
compared to a sexy vaudeville singer from the 20’s: truly entertaining and alluring. In listening to the instrumentation in the song in its entirety, one can easily picture
themselves riding around in a convertible, summer sun on their face, and gentle
breeze in their hair. This is the kind of song that will linger on radio stations
for some time to come for its ‘feel-good’ sound.
The lyrics in combination with the video are brilliant. Consistent
branding throughout the last few weeks have indicated that you are going to
view a video shot in beautiful, soft, instagram-worthy blue undertones supporting the ‘blue’
mood the subject is expressing in realizing that the love of her life ‘just isn’t
all that into her’. But then we flash into a cinematic, brilliant, polished ‘Vogue’
worthy, 'Come and get me' seductive scene change during the chorus: It’s stunning and brilliant! This is the handiwork of Director:
Travis Nesbitt (the same who directed her video for ‘Antidote’), Russ Dawson
(Creative, Set Design), and Jasmine Ming-Wai Ma (Make Up and Wardrobe).
Suffice to say, Strate is not only on our radar, she has
proven herself a brilliant Star/Diamond in our Starlight Music Chronicles
history and we look forward to more coming from this talented young songstress!
Ps: we have added this video and album single with link to
her iTunes to the ‘Our Faves’ section of the website. Fabulous job!
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