Chicago crooner Lester Rey bears it all in new power ballad “FEEL”
Who: Lester Rey is a versatile soul crooner for a contemporary audience, a fearless wordsmith, and musical innovator. His use of percussion, poetic lyricism, and hypnotizing vocal range have made him a standout solo artist. His newly announced Sophomore EP “SANTUARIO” is Lester Rey “in the raw” reflecting on vulnerability and revealing his courage to be seen in his most personal project to date. The first preview to the project is “FEEL”, an honest portrayal of a struggling relationship in sonic format.
What: “FEEL” is the musical accompaniment to a lover struggling to breath. The lyrics contain a repetitive verse, a confession of sorts, that acknowledges the relationship has to end but the lingering question that follows, “why must you make it so hard?”, reminds us that it’s never that easy. The first track to provide a peek into Lester’s upcoming sound is just one of five self-described “journal entries” in his new EP “Santuario”.
“Santuario is me keeping true to a promise I made myself long ago. That promise was to stop running from past pain and instead face it head first with blunt honesty. I’ve been hurt and hiding from that pain has caused me to hurt others. This project is me finding personal sanctuary in brutal vulnerability.” – Lester Rey
Sonically, “FEEL” is a combination of a distorted electronic bass line, slowed down merengue rhythms, and Lester’s roaring chant “I feel” into a crescendo that producer Suve music states is inspired by cinematic symphonies.
“When Lester first approached me about working on ‘FEEL’ he presented an already beautiful acoustic concept. When we got together to brainstorm, we decided it needed a blend of synths and orchestral sounds to create a soundscape that would bring out the full impact of the emotion coming through Lester’s verses. What’s more dramatic than pouring out your heart to the energy of an electronic symphony?” – SUVE Music
Why: For Lester this project is a personal release. Santuario’s content dives into his private relationships and makes them public for his listeners. “FEEL” is a reminder to himself and others to sit in their true emotions no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
