It has been years since beautifully talented singer and songwriter, Candice Pillay. Has dropped new solo material rather than writing for other people or being featured on other peoples projects.
That has changed within the last month though. As ever since the beginning of this month, Pillay has been dropping new songs/records from her just new today released EP, The Rise. The singers first project since leaving super producer and songwriter, Alex Da Kid’s, KIDinaKORNER label. Where she released her only other previous project. Her 2015 EP, The High.
This new project is also Pillay’s first independently released one. That is here breaking free from the shackles of not only a former love, but also breaking free of all the dealings and hurdles many artists have to go through when signed to a major record label. That the fans and supporters of artists a lot of times don’t see or realize are there.
You can tell from the very opening track, Song of Solomon. Where over the very beautifully heart melting mostly acoustic backed production. She sings so passionately with her beautifully angelic voice about locking out and letting go of a love she once had. How much she poured all her emotions and heart into this EP/project. Making the long wait and hiatus Pillay had from releasing music. Well worth the wait for me and so many other fans of the very talented singer and songwriter. That pouring of all her emotions and that sadness of having to let go of a former love that will virtually move you to tears or at the very least, close to it. Also really felt on the very next record, Hotel Avenir. A beautifully magical and emotional record that finds Pillay over the just as beautifully magical production. Singing so passionately with her beautifully magical vocals about a love that she can see was never going to work out. One of those beautifully emotional and real records we could all relate to in some shape or form.
Overall as a whole, The Rise. Is a project where Pillay displays her very great writing and singing abilities. As well the double entendre theme throughout. That’s the theme of how one can move past a former lover and create their own independency. Through both a former relationship and a former label, as they move and rise to the occasion of being able to independently grow into their own true selves. Before going into a new relationship of new love and your own new label of your own as well.
Which you can hear on records like, Saint Tropez. A very instrumented and almost island like backed production. Where Pillay sings about how her love is so great and if her and her partner could fall in love in Saint Tropez. Then they can make it anywhere. But she sings/raps about how her unfortunate luck ends up being that her former lover and/or boyfriend ended up leaving her. Even despite how great she thought their love together was. Keeping with the theme of moving past a former love she once had. The closing record of the EP, Honey Boy. Is one of the most beautiful records you may ever hear in your lifetime. The very beautiful record. Another one that really let’s Pillay show off her beautifully amazing vocals. As she so beautifully sings over the very acoustic backdrop about a former lover and/or boyfriend she had when she was younger and felt was so good like honey. That she would never end and let go, but she realized later on she was way too young and jaded to see that she gave way too much to them. But they may not have given enough of that love back to her and why it was more of a lie and/or fairytale.
With how emotionally beautiful the project is as a whole. It’s only right that such a beautifully amazing and vulnerable record as, Honey Boy. With Pillay’s very beautifully emotional vulnerable vocals/lyrics on the record. That so many other men and/or women that feel they’re in love, whether it be in or out of a relationship can relate to. Which makes you feel all the good, bad, beautiful and sad emotions conveyed throughout the song. That are all results from love and make it such a beautiful record. Is the perfect and just right record. To close such an amazing project. That shows what a beautifully great and amazing voice, Pillay has that can maybe now get more of the just due it deserves. Though we do also need an actual full-length album and some visuals to really let people know.