April 23, 2021

New Song Of The Day: Emily Rice – Red And Blue

It’s new music Friday and we bring you new music from Emily Rice...it’s Red And Blue.

With a new EP on the way, Emily teases us with this colourful tune. Read the record company blurb for more details:

Aotearoa indie-pop singer-songwriter, Emily Rice, has released her new single and video for ‘Red & Blue’ ahead of her EP AUAHA due out on May 7.

The multi-instrumentalist says the inspiration for this smooth, jazz styled pop track struck during lockdown last year when she was on the lawn at home looking up at the blue sky.

“I closed my eyes and saw red and I love that feeling, warmth on the skin on a blue sky day and the red of your eyelids when that light is shining through closed eyes.”

From here, Rice wrote down all the contrasts she could think of and all the different things those two words evoked for her, and that’s where the song started.

“It’s a simple song for me about all red & blue and the different things they both mean to me, and about feeling all those different feelings and embracing the highs and lows of life in depth.”

Starting out, the song was vocals with a simple repetitive guitar, recorded at home, Rice added vocal layers, clicks and percussion. Produced by M J Collier, he made the vocals pop. Bass was then added by Māia Huia and mastered by Vivek Gabriel.

Being released the same time as the single, the video for ‘Red & Blue’ was filmed on a Super 8 camera and was produced and edited by Beka Hope.

“We filmed it on the glorious black sanded beach called Karioitahi, my local – where I danced and spun letting the song wash over me as the waves washed over my toes, wearing NZ made clothing by Kowtow & jewellery by Penny Foggo. I was delighted to film this the weekend before I gave birth to my baby girl Olive, and if you look closely you can see her little bump beneath the red dress,” says Rice.

Emily Rice’s third EP AUAHA is due out on Friday May 7 and moves through a variety of different styles, always integrating vocal looping, sprinkles of jazz and a touch of the saxophone. Her new sound is best described as chill DnB/RnB-pop.

Lyrics – ‘Red & Blue’:

Let me feel the sorrow of it all
Covered in red
Heavy as lead
Fire in my head

Let me feel the depth of it all
Deep as the ocean
Feel in slow motion
My need of devotion

Let me feel the open blu
Gentle and true
Calming me through
Making me new

Red & blue
Feel it through
Let it be true
Let it be you

Fill my glass and take my time
Drink the wine
Love divine
This is mine

Make my bed and greet the light
Blue outside
Wide and bright
My delight

Red & blue
Feel it through
Let it be true