A Quick Chat With…Richi Camarena

When I heard RICH CAMARENA‘s uniquely blissful vocals on single, ‘Promise You’, my heart immediately melted…for some reason, on the single, he reminds me of a male version of Sadè…. and for that reason alone, I had to find out more about the Mexican singer/songwriter. I’m so glad I did, as Richi comes across as one of the most lovely and genuine person I’ve interviewed on NEW LEASE MUSIC. So please sit comfortably and get ready to be acquainted with this promising upcoming artist…

NLM: Hey, thank you for taking part in an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC. How is 2024 treating you so far?

RC: Thank you for showcasing my music. It’s been a great year so far. I’ve got featured on your blog, I released a new single that was very well received, I’m also working on an EP and there’s a music video in the works for a future song.

NLM: You released your single, ‘Promise You’ back in March. What is the public perception of the single so far?

RC: I’ve received some DMs on social media about how they are using my song to tell their loved ones how they feel. This is song is on the list of some of my most streamed songs, so, I feel very very happy.

NLM: What inspired you to produce/write the single?

RC: My girlfriend was the reason behind the lyrics, she has been an incredible support and inspiration for my music. She was the one who suggested me to start making music. And, when she went through some rough times, I wrote her this song to make her feel better, it then became the full song itself.

NLM: How would you describe the single’s sound to potential fans?

RC: It is a love song that serves as a promise for your loved ones, one that you can listen to while driving with your partner, laying down with your eyes closed, or even when proposing to the people you want to spend the rest of your life with.

NLM: What message would you like the listeners to take away from your single?

RC: Love is as complicated as you want it to be. But, when you find the right person, loving is easy, everything just works. And, no matter how hard a situation might be, or how bad you might be feeling, the right person will always be there for you, and you will always be there for your special person.

NLM: Are there any plans to release an official video for the single?

RC: I thought about this at first, but I don’t think I will release a video for this song, I’m planning on doing one for a future song, but, for this one, definitely not.

NLM: If you had to feature one mainstream artist on ‘Promise You’, who would it be and why?

RC: This was a tough one, but I think Justin Bieber would be a great feature for this song.

NLM: What plans do you have in store for 2024?

RC: My intention is to release a few more singles, then an EP, an official music video and maybe, a small tour in my hometown.

NLM: How can potential fans find you?

RC: In every streaming platform they can find me as “Richi Camarena”, on social media, my handle for Instagram, TikTok and X is @richicamarena, for Facebook and YouTube is @richicamarenaofficial

NLM: Finally, if music didn’t exist, what other professional would you do?

RC: An actor for sure, I love acting, I love drama, so, maybe an actor.

Richi Camarena has a new single out called ‘That’s Okay’. Why not find out more here.

Song of the Day: Regarding My Heart – Tuelo

Very rarely does a song give me full body chills everytime I hear TUELO‘s powerful single, ‘Regarding My Heart’. The track is the centerpiece and the focus track for the album Regarding My Heart, due out 27th September.

Tuelo is a South African-born, NYC/Dublin-based folk-rock artist who’s had some amazing notoriety in the past for her debut album, but one listen to the new music and it’s clear that is her most refined, self-assured sound to date. Regarding My Heart is a sweeping sonic exploration of love, loss and loneliness. The project has provided Tuelo with the space to heal, listen to herself and center her voice.

The whole album began with the title track. Describing it, Tuelo says, “The song shows that in a ubiquitous world there lives a person in solitude, with a fascination for adventure, fantasy, and big dreams of great love. That is me. That would be ‘Regarding My Heart.’ That might be you.” Beginning with one central song and building the album from there, Tuelo crafted a resonant glimpse into her heart from different perspectives. Tuelo says the album is, “by the lonely for the lonely. It’s about holding on to every ounce of peace, patience, pace, and the rhythm of the world.”

Interspersed between the tracks are chant versions and towards the end, piano versions that offer alternate takes on the original versions while paying homage to Tuelo’s roots. Across three continents, the project’s expansive sound was brought to life with help from multi-GRAMMY® award-winning producer (Album of the Year, Best Rock Album) Robbie Nelson, guitar producer Kirk Schoenherr, longtime collaborator Kevin Wenzel and features backing vocals from Tuelo’s sisters. W

Watch the video for ‘Regarding My Heart’ below…

Rising new Pop artist Richi Camarena shares heartfelt new single, ‘Promise You’

RICHI CAMARENA‘s new single ‘Promise You’, is a stunning expression of the most amazing emotion -love – that showcases Richi’s signature sound that includes wonderful melodies, his iconic background voices and his unique voice.

With 17 releases under his belt, Richi Camarena has more than 100,000 streams on his debut album, an interview for a Canadian TV show, and a daily growth of his social media followers.

Richi said: “I hope this song serves as a constant reminder, that true love does exist. So, whenever anyone wants to say, promise, or demonstrate someone how important they are, how loved they really are, I’ll be more than glad to let my song be a part of that expression”

‘Promise You’ was released last Friday (15th March) on all streaming platforms. Have a listen below…

Song of the Day: My Old Friend – OUDi

Sometimes your most rewarding relationship is the one you have with yourself. Over the course of a career that’s taken her from Canada to Nashville—and from the alt-pop/industrial world to the country arena and back again—the phenomenon known as OUDi has learned that lesson all too well. And she’s sharing it on ‘My Old Friend,’ an irresistible high-drama ballad that marks her debut as a solo artist after years of sharing the spotlight.

Built on a plaintive instrumental melody and a mesmerizing clockwork rhythm, the song carries the emotional weight of a conversation you have in the mirror when there’s no one left around to hoodwink. OUDi’s compelling vocal starts off at a seductive purr as she confronts an inner solitude, she might not exactly welcome, but knows she can always count on:

Hello loneliness, can’t say I missed you/But let me tell you this, now I need you

The internal co-dependency fully acknowledged, her amazing voice opens up into a bittersweet embrace of the darkness:

Go and do that thing you do, make me feel and lose my mind/‘Cause I have nothing left to lose, you’ve been waiting all this time/I dare you come a little closer and rest your head upon my shoulder.

This isn’t just a declaration of artistic independence; it’s the story of a life. Born Chrystal Oudijk, she was out of the house and supporting herself by age 16, while pursuing her musical muse through a variety of projects. There was the five-piece alternative band The Perfect Strangers, the pop-industrial project Jakalope (for producer Dave “Rave” Ogilvie) and then—most famously—the pop-country duo Sons of Daughters (with Jimmy Thow). She was Chrystal Leigh by that point, and finding such success as a Billboard-charting, CCMA Award-nominated artist that she had even moved to Nashville from her native Vancouver. There was just one problem:

“Jimmy and I struggled as creative partners,” she divulges. “Add in alcohol, anxiety & depression and we had ourselves a real party!”

The near loss of a family member due to addiction and the confusion of the early pandemic era only deepened her dissatisfaction. When Sons of Daughters parted ways, she took two years to regroup, rethink and write her very first solo album. The release of ‘My Old Friend’ is the opening salvo in her new career—strike that, her new state of being—as OUDi. It also sounds the death knell for what she describes as an adulthood full of toxic relationships and creative compromises.

“I’ve been living in survival mode my entire life,” she reflects. “It’s only been in the past two years I’ve been training my nervous system to relax. I’m excited to finally put my stories to song, for I have a lot of them.”

The year 2024 is going to mark a real renaissance for this woman, she even directed the music video for ‘My Old Friend,’ exploiting a side talent she’s cultivated during her recent period of self-emancipation and reinvention. Her explanation for all of it is as sanguine as the song is bleak, yet equally self-aware:

“I guess it goes to show when you start to live your life authentically and true to yourself, magic really can happen.” Why not watch the video for ‘My Old Friend’ below…

Song of the Day: Wreckage – Aloysius Bell

The second song of the day of 2024 comes from ALOYSIUS BELL (a·lo·wish·us bell), the alter ego of Winnipeg-born, Montreal-based singer-songwriter Annick Brémault.

Her single ‘Wreckage’ was inspired after having an argument with her partner. With a captivating ethereal glow elegantly reverbing throughout the almost five-minute production, ‘Wreckage’ carries a valid message that, even though you can be so furious with your person one day, you might not even remember what the fight was about the next – afterall, love conquers all.

Taken from her brand new EP, ‘Warm Thing’, released last Friday (2nd February). Have a listen to the stunning ballad below…