Vocal powerhouse Lisa Ramey caught the attention of millions following her stint on The US Voice, where she performed on the team of John Legend. Exuding soul-infused fervour in every delivery, superbly countered by her signature rock n’ roll edge that unequivocally captures her roots; the St Louis born, New York-based vocalist has recently returned to the spotlight to take her soulful rock artistry to the next level. Following the release of unplugged, gospel stormer ‘Certainly Lord’ and country blues track ‘Jesus Is My Only Friend’, Ramey now returns with a welcome addition of R&B. Honouring Black History Month with yet another teaser of her forthcoming album, ‘Keep Your Lamps’ pays tribute as it recognises R&B as one of the integral blueprints of American music history.
With a growing catalogue of gospel, rock and R&B infused productions, Lisa Ramey’s limitless and creative mentality is reflected in her discography, as she effortlessly floats between genres with unmatched versatility. Blending styles to create her own distinctive sound, her productions are scattered with nods to greats who have gone before her. As she harnesses her unique talent for re-awakening forgotten voices, she showcases her very own refreshed perspective.
Ramey’s latest offering sees impactful spoken word resonate with listeners, referencing misery in hate and recognising the value of righteousness. As sweet, mellow keys surround Ramey’s unique vocal timbre, unhurried drum patterns support the composition while the multi-talented artist confronts prevalent issues and continues to discover a pure means of translating and understanding her experiences. Assisted by a driving bassline evocative of Ramey’s previous releases, ‘Keep Your Lamps’ leads the listener on an odyssey of sonic goodness as superb instrumentation compliments Ramey’s lionhearted approach to her creations.
Re-imagining the historically important and virtually forgotten songs and music sung by civil rights activist Ms. Fannie Lou Hamer, Ramey’s mission for ‘Keep Your Lamps’ and her forthcoming album is to re-awaken a voice from the past and bring it to the forefront of our lives.
In the wake of Black History Month, Ramey provides a refreshing amalgamation of R&B and gospel resulting in a cleverly complex record in wonderfully simple clothing. As Ramey continues to interlink classic, evergreen sounds with pleasing, unexpected moments, her alto cadence is one that resonates with every ear.
With one foot in historic music traditions and another boldly stepping into the future, the old soul continues to break boundaries while effortlessly wrapping listeners up in a whirlwind of full-bodied, rich tones - a result completely tantalising to any well-versed music lover.
Speaking of her latest offering, Lisa Ramey said:
“R&B is crucial to the music world. It was called “race music” in the 40s. People wanted to hate it and call it “different/ not worth a listen” and now it has taken over the music industry Music: The passion of R&B. The way some artists stretch the word “baby” for bars and bars of music. Where running never gets tired and where I feel most at home. R&B is another one of our major blueprints in popular American music history. I wasn’t gonna release this album without it.”
Stream 'Keep Your Lamps' below:
Learn more about Black History Month here