Today markes the release of Toronto native, singer/songwriter Savannah Ré’s second single “Homies,” from her upcoming debut EP Opia. The track follows shortly after the first taster off of the album, “Where You Are,” and delivers the same authentic story-telling, and effortless vocal fluidity that we’ve come to know and love from the up-and-coming artist. With the steady development of her roster of work, it’s easy to understand how the young musician came to be under the mentorship of Grammy Award-winning producer Boi-1da, and made a name for herself as a go-to collaborator for some of R&B’s elite, where she’s written with names like Babyface, Normani, Daniel Caesar, and Wondagurl.
The release also follows after the artist’s performance – alongside Roy Woods – in this year’s Mural Festival at the PHI Centre in Montreal this past Saturday the 19th. Under the circumstances, the event’s coordinators were challenged to think outside of the box to deliver a concert that would respect social distancing rules, and the outcome was a live rooftop performance which was broadcasted by means of a projection in a more intimate and casual space for the audience, on the fourth floor of the same building. The toned-down atmosphere played in Ré’s favour, and proved to perfectly showcase the stripped-back, and genuine energy of her artistry.
At first listen, the recording seems to deliver the basic components of any successful R&B track: the relatable, thoughtful lyrics, “I don’t need your drama//Your Netflix is still logged in//Know I worry about your mama//But I ain’t ever gonna call her;” the tranquil but infectious melody, and the silky-smooth vocals. Upon digging deeper into the track however, you come to understand just how profoundly perceptive Ré’s lyricism really is, and just how generally well thought out this 2 minute 35 second piece truly was.
In keeping with her reputation of a carefully refined songwriter, Ré breaks down the deeper sentiments behind your average breakup in “Homies.” What appears, at first, to be a song about the unresolved convictions and emotions behind a fizzled-out relationship, slowly unravels itself to reveal the vulnerable complexities of Ré’s inner reflections. You find yourself identifying with her unapologetic emotional fragility “Give it to me softly, Break it to me easy//I’d be lying if I said I had it all figured out//Cause I’m fragile//And I don’t want your karma on my head now,” and her inability to clearly define the boundaries of the relationship, “I want less of this//I want more of you, more of us.” She employs the likes of producers Ozzie, Kyle Christopher, and YogiTheProducer to create a backing beat that is celestial enough to give her voice the space it deserves to take center stage. And if the polished vibrancy of her visuals for “Where You Are” are any indication of what to look out for, for this track, you know this video will be one to watch.