Lonr. The world better get used to the name. The California born; Cape Cod raised artist is undoubtedly one of the most talented singer/songwriters on the rise. His combination of vivid, down-to earth lyrics and expressive voice justly puts the listener into the Land of Nothing Real (Hence his name Lonr.). I first came across Lonr. when exploring underground music on SoundCloud and found his single ‘WORLD’ which has accumulated over 450K plays on the app alone since it was released roughly nine months ago. From the moment it started playing I knew this guy was something special, and it wasn’t because of the voice or melody (even though those things were amazing) it was the sheer emotion and thoughtfulness he put into his lyrics. From the very beginning you hear the cry “I’m feeling like I’m all alone in here”. This is a feeling that so many of us are familiar with, and even though we may not physically be alone and have friends and family around us, no one truly knows everything each of us are thinking and the mental struggles that each of us deal with on a daily basis. Further on in the song he continues with the beautiful lyrics, “I’ve been my own worst critic, I’ve been. Pictures can’t capture visions I’ve seen. Breakin’ these walls I put around me when they start to doubt me…” Again, alluding to feeling trapped in one’s own thoughts overthinking things.
Recently he released his new album “Land of Nothing Real 2” which is available on all major streaming platforms. The album consists of 8 songs, and though it is listed as an R&B album, fans of the artist can hear that same nostalgic voice crying out in song that they are all so familiar with. The first track titled ‘Red Light’ has more of a hip-hop spin to it and touches in the area of melodic rap, as does the track ‘Say Less’. The second half of the album feels more like an R&B album with gentle melodies and Lonr. Is really able to show off his vocal range. The album also has features from some major artists in his song ‘Read My Mind’ with Yung Bleu and ‘Cuffin’ with recent hip-hop star Coi Leray. Perhaps my favorite track is titled ‘Live Life’. The song is something so unique with a funky dance hall-type beat that I have never heard the artist touch on before, but he floated on it so natural as if he was making this kind of music forever. The meaning of the song also hits home and is about living life in the moment, and not worrying about the future. Lonr. Is preaching to his listeners that none of us know how long we have left on this earth so we all must live every day like its our last. A message that seems most fitting among the difficult years we have had dealing with the pandemic. Keep an eye on this artist as he’s nearing a major breakthrough in the music industry.
