LOLAA
LOLAA is the sister duo of Lex Valentine and Nadia Valerie King. Their self-titled release, LOLAA, is a re-release of 2016’s EP, but with a few changes.
The newly released EP was recorded all in Spanish and while I didn’t note any musical differences between the English and Spanish versions, the simple language switch gives it some depth. The sisters, based in Canada, with roots of Mexican decent, did an amazing job with some unique rhythms and lyrics. Pulled from their varied influences, they blend a mix of solid pop, emotional ballads, and a nod to a number of ’80s influences.
Each of the 6 songs on the EP have a ton of great musical pieces that combine perfectly and use everything from chimes to disco synthesizers to accent the lyrics and drive home the sentiment. The rhythms, while not specifically standard Latin groves, have tons of hidden pieces that require a couple listens to catch all the subtleties.
One of my favorites, “Barricada”, is at times sparse of music while the lyrics Lex Valentine sings carry the strength of the song. The character of the song is smart enough to know her worth and tired of the pain that the relationship is bringing. She’s a woman building emotional barricades to protecting herself, while vowing to not be simply satisfied to sit behind it, but to put up a fight for herself.
The decision to record in Spanish is one that I believe will help draw some new fans across the globe and get LOLAA in front of a bigger market. I look forward to seeing what they put out next and while I’m not sure that Iowa is on their tour schedule at the moment, I’ll keep an eye on them to see what they are up to next.
