Track of the Day: Kelsey Montanez – Rolling Stone (2023)
From sultry soul and jazz to classic rock with a tinge of cinematic alternative pop, singer-songwriter Kelsey Montanez’s genre-diverse sound is an inimitable force of nature. Yet, while Montanez’s singles are not to be pigeonholed, it is her illustrious vocals that place her alongside Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, and Corinne Bailey Rae. This is my introduction to US-based Kelsey Montanez but listening to her eloquent lyrics and moving tunes, I feel as if I had known her forever. Her way of delicately entrancing listeners in a comfortable warmth gives a familiar but refreshingly new sensation. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘Rolling Stone’.
Following her well-received single ‘Mr. Crybaby’, Kelsey Montanez moves from a modern-day pop-rock tone to a heavier, harder, more rock-inspired sound in ‘Rolling Stone’. Yet, while the song blinks toward the classic rock stylings of Velvet Revolver with a Guns N’ Roses edginess, a shining blues lilt breaks through in ‘Rolling Stone’. What I find particularly intriguing about ‘Rolling Stone’ is not the scorching guitars, bold drums or mellifluous harmony of a dull rock vibe. No, it is Montanez’s passionate voice that, once again, sets her apart from other contemporary artists.
It is true, ‘Rolling Stone’ is a hypnotizing blend of blues and rock, but slivers of RnB run through the melody with Montanez’s rich voice leading the way. Listening to the large vocal range with soulful sounds and insatiable trills, Montanez could be Christina Aguilera’s sister on ‘Rolling Stone’. Penned as a personal narrative of her experience leaving home at 17, the new single is a coming-of-age composition flooded with raw vulnerability but simultaneously a sense of hopefulness.
Impeccably enigmatic with a whirl of drama dusted along the melody, ‘Rolling Stone’ is a perfect song to have on repeat. Yet, it is not only the studio sophistication that has me hitting the repeat button. The production may be elegant and sophisticated, but it is the transposition of a raw live band vibe into the streaming single that keeps the song “real and rugged”.
Find out more about Kelsey Montanez on her Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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