Rating: ***1/2
I hate to admit that I didn’t know much about Leilani Wolfgramm. I had to dig a little. What I found out is that the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter-guitar player used to be in some bands in Orlando. She’s highly influenced by Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, and Lauryn Hill, stating:
“I write music to celebrate being alive. The good, the bad, the happy, the sad - all the lessons I’ve learned. My main musical influences are Bob Marley who showed me that a song can change the world, Bob Dylan, that a song can change your mind and Lauren Hill, that a song can change your heart and that a woman can be better than the boys. Music is life itself.”
Good stuff. She released a single a couple of months back called, Sinner and I was stoked to check it out. So I’m gonna do that now. Like, right now. Come along.
Watch the video for “Sinner” below:
Filthy beat and guitar underlay to open. As we get into the first verse, we get a glimpse of Wolfgramm’s deep, sultry singing voice. We move to the pre-chorus and start to feel the strong reggae and dancehall vibe. The NSFW lyrical content will probably scare off some radio, but who cares since we have the internet? You can really tell that she’s influenced by Marley, Dylan, and Hill because this song combines all of those elements pretty seamlessly. It’s got a good hook and will stick in your head, but it doesn’t scream “hit single.” That said, if a single is supposed to make you crave hearing more, than this one is doing the trick. Really solid tune.
Leilani Wolfgramm speaks her truth on this track and that’s always fresh and exciting. She’s got a great voice and the production is top notch. I’m excited to see what’s next and look forward to reviewing her upcoming LP “Bipolar” right here when it’s available. Strong recommend from me.