Music Review // Lánre Beautiful Lies ft. Zaya Malák

 

The music of Lánre can be described as R&B but there is also a definite hip hop vibe to it as well.  Just listening to the song there are melodies and beats which make me think of a modern rapper such as Drake but then it also tends to favor the singing over the rapping aspect of it so I'm not sure who to quite compare it with as a modern artist.  In terms of the past though, this has those similar vibes of Bell Biv Devoe or something from that time when hip hop and R&B had more of their lines blurred.

This video starts with the protagonist leaving a party and many of the lyrics reference drinking alcohol.  While you can have your opinion on drinking it can be somewhat similar to that of telling lies.  On one hand, we sometimes lie to not upset someone else but in general lying is thought of as being bad.  At the same time, you can think of drinking too much as being bad because of the health risks but then it can also make you feel good.  So I feel like it's really complicated within the lyrics of maybe I wouldn't have to lie to you if you didn't have a problem with my drinking (but yet also maybe there should be a problem with your drinking/lying)

During this video the vibe is set as something from the 1990's with a modern twist.  It has very distinct colors such as you would see in a video from DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince but it's also a video where it's mostly the singer singing and the feature rapping.  In the way that it's like a live performance but without a crowd it really reminds me of the Onyx video for "Slam" and I definitely enjoy that.

While this video has style you can say that the song does as well.  You can experience the melodies and debate about addiction at the same time.  The lyrics might more directly refer to consuming alcohol, but almost everyone has an unhealthy addiction and so even if you don't drink but have some other vice that your family or significant other doesn't approve of and you have to lie to them about it then this song is for you.  I feel like this makes "Beautiful Lies" universally relatable because we all either know someone with an addiction or we are that someone.