“I went on thinking I could change you,” the Toronto performer echoes over haunting organ and thunderous claps. “But now I know, our love is cold.” On the urgent yet contemplative ‘Black & Blue’, Bianca James refuses to settle for a dead-end reality.
Following her summery retro-pop debut single ‘Monaco’ and intricate power ballad ‘Till I Remember’, Bianca continues to build momentum by unveiling yet another side to her artistry with ‘Black & Blue’s bold production courtesy of JUNO Award-nominated & Platinum certified producer Thomas McKay in Toronto and at The Kinks’ iconic Konk Studios in London, UK.
“It’s about drawing a line and setting boundaries, knowing the short-term pain of a relationship ending is better than putting up with prolonged emotional suffering,” – Bianca James.
‘Black & Blue’ blends modern production with throwback elements, a driving rhythm section, and girl-group backing vocals inspired by Motown records – to an empowering effect. The single follows from Bianca’s deeply layered and intimate gospel power ballad ‘Till I Remember’, which found placements in Apple Music’s Best New Songs, New Music Daily, Neu in: Pop and Breaking Pop.
While many artists mine similar veins of vintage musical vibes, few do so as convincingly and effortlessly as Bianca James. On this, her independent debut album, Bianca nails it with her huge voice and a degree of cinematic flair that captures all the drama and glamour of the time, while adding an eminently satisfying splash of modern pop to the mix.
Growing up in Montreal with her Italian father and mother of UK descent, Bianca James glamorized the wild, free lifestyle of the Italian and French Riviera and the swinging rock ’n’ roll scene of 1960s London. She was constantly singing, she adds, developing her voice by singing along to the classic records spinning on the family’s turntable. “I dreamed of living in London, driving to Paris or the south of France, and playing shows with a killer backing band. That’s the dream that built this album.”
Timeless is perhaps the best way to describe Bianca’s contemporary take on a truly classic, international sound – one that draws reference from American and British 1960s styles with a melding of elements of Motown, Soul, and modern pop. “I didn’t care about trends or what other people were doing. I wrote what I wrote and focused on making something earthy and organic sounding.”
Lifted from her anticipated self-titled debut album out August 4th, you can soon expect even more from the undeniable powerhouse whose passion, drive and desire to empower others are on full display in equal measure on each and every track of her full length, which you can now pre-save here – https://slinky.to/BiancaJames
-Official bio
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