Written by Marilù Ciabattoni
Discovered via Musosoup
Based between Ibiza and London, Lola Lusmer chooses to sing in her native language–Spanish–to tell the story of a love story that shattered her heart–and her whole being–into thousands of tiny pieces, prompting the artist to ask herself, “qué será de tí?” (what will be of you?).
Lola’s powerful ballad “Rota” starts with piano chords over the artist’s emotional falsetto: “Rota, volviendome tan loca” (“Broken, going insane”). And that’s when the climax begins.
“Septiembre en la isla” (“September on the island”) is the setting of the love story we will hear about, continuing with the same minimalist accompaniment of the intro. Little by little, more ethereal effects and instruments join the ensemble, as Lola’s voice becomes louder and more high-pitched in preparation for the chorus.
From the second verse forward, the instrumentation sounds fuller, with the addition of a more classic arrangement of drums, piano, guitar, and bass.
Lola’s vocal range and timber somehow remind me of another notorious Spanish artist: Rigoberta Bandini. However, what impresses me the most about the her voice is her ability to effortlessly sing those high-pitched notes in falsetto.
And this is especially true on the bridge after the second chorus, where we see a shift in rhythm and melody. It is undoubtedly my favorite section of the song: Lola’s voice nimbly alternates between highs and lows as the instrumental follows in a jazzy fashion and background vocals are added building up to the closing chorus.
“Pinning down her deepest and most intimate thoughts, her vivid storytelling is like peeking into her bedside diary,” we read in the bio of Lola’s website. And that’s the feeling you get while listening to “Rota:” you’re witnessing a broken-hearted person pouring their heart out over a failed relationship that could’ve turned out differently.
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