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The Hawaiian native and Long Beach based songwriter Lionel Boy has announced that his debut self-titled album will be released on May 14, 2021 via Innovative Leisure. To celebrate the announcement, he shares with us his second single of 2021, “Kam Highway”.
The synth heavy and ethereal track is the follow up to the laid back “Flower Girl,” released in March. “Kam Highway” highlights Lionel’s sultry baritone capabilities and is set against a reverb-drenched backdrop of airy synth textures, extra low bass, and a heavy beat laced with trap elements.
“Back home in Hawaii, one of the main highways we have is called Kam Highway.” Lionel Boy shares. “For me, it connected the two places I grew up in—Waialua and Wahiawa. It’s my favorite drive in the whole world. I hadn’t done much previous work on my own with synths or beat making but it was something I’d been wanting to try. When I started working on the song, it sounded a lot like a long, dark road and the first one that came to mine was the one I’d been taking my whole life.”
The visual companion to “Kam Highway” was directed by Joanna Nguyen. “‘Kam Highway’ was shot over a span of three days on my home island of Oahu, Hawaii by my awesome friend Joanna Nguyen. It’s funny - I grew up in “paradise” wanting nothing more than to escape it. I’ve driven many roads looking for an exit only to realize—you can’t run from what’s inside.”
Consider the power of the vibe. After all, the power of positive vibes transcends simple categorization or a Sopranos meme. A good vibe is a cool breeze and ice cream on a sweltering
afternoon. It is the athlete whose sixth sense and unselfishness makes everyone on the court play better. It is those Bob Ross videos where with a gentle voice and a few quick brush strokes, the painter conjures arcadian beauty. Good vibes are something that the modern world desperately needs.
Enter Lionel Boy and his new single “Flower Girl'' released today via Innovative Leisure. The song’s cool and melodic bass lines slow things down, creating a mood that allows you take a deep breath and simply enjoy the moment. Lionel Boy tells us “This was the first track that Jonny and I worked on. It’s about watching someone close to you become who they’re meant to be. I get to witness my partner grow everyday and succeed in places that bring her joy. It feels a lot like watching a flower blossom. She’s my flower girl.”