Andra Day has her name on everyone's lips these days due to her stellar turn as Billie Holiday in The United States Vs. Billie Holiday and her subsequent Oscar nod for the role. While we have to wait until April 25th to find out her fate in the Best Actress category, we don't have to wait so long to see what she's got coming musically. The singer has released a brand-new single called "Phone Dies" that shows us a new direction for her.
When Andra popped up on our radar with her debut album Cheers To The Fall (and its ubiquitous single "Rise Up"), her style seemed very traditional R&B with its ballads and torch songs. "Phone Dies" is not that. Instead, Andra goes for a sound that mixes genres with abandon thanks to a production assist from Anderson .Paak. He gives her a sound that flits between styles as she describes a connection that goes beyond her phone's battery life. "This might sound crazy / But be my baby," she sings. "I'll let you feel these vibes until my phone dies / Yeah we can feel these vibes until my phone dies." Those vibes include the chants that open the song which evoke African music, a veering into jazz territory and cruising into R&B's lane while throwing in a splash of a few other genres. Anchoring it all is Andra's expressive vocals which adapt effortlessly to whatever she's serving and leave the audience in awe.
Could this be the start of a new musical era for Andra Day? We definitely hope so, as this is definitely something to get excited about. If you want to hear the best collaboration between Andra Day and Anderson .Paak since the singer appeared in AP's "Lockdown" video, just venture below. After you're done, make sure to pick up you own copy of "Phone Dies" for your collection.