Weeks after joining Mack Keane and ESTA. on their single "O.M.L.," singer-songwriter DESTIN CONRAD is back in the mix with his new song “UNPREDICTABLE” featuring Kiana Ledé. After releasing his first EP COLORWAY in March 2021, the 21-year-old phenom continues to show that he is a serious player in the R&B game.
“UNPREDICTABLE” presents a mellow musical vibe, with subtle percussion and an understated bassline. What stands out is the addition of an instrument seldom heard in R&B: the harp. This adds a soothing quality to the music, enhanced by DESTIN and Kiana’s smooth vocals. This track was co- written by DESTIN and Alexander Ben-Abdallah and produced by Louie Lastic and Sara Kawai (who also is the harpist).
The song finds DESTIN and Kiana in new relationships after a breakup. They find that their new love connections are not necessarily bad, but they miss the spontaneity of what they once had. In other words, they want that old thing back. DESTIN puts it this way: “See with you, bae / You make the room spin around, I knew that / I didn't know a thing / And that drew me in / Can we do it again, baby?" He delivers the first verse before Kiana sings verse two and they finally team up for the second iteration of the chorus.
The visual, directed by LLAMA and FiELDTRiP, begins with CONRAD in a dark space and appearing a little down. He is marking off the days on a calendar with a black “X” while singing. As he recalls the way things were with his ex, we see a change to fast moving, time-lapsed footage of traffic and palm trees. At the same time, we see a superimposed digital and analog clock moving extremely fast, implying that DESTIN loses track of time when he is with his ex. We then see a split screen of Destin and his current partner having a heated discussion, while he laments, “Sometimes I can't even relate, baby / But with him, I knew what he was gonna say / And that s**t didn't hit the same.”
We then see DESTIN driving in his car as he sings the chorus, and he eventually ends up in booth at a diner where Kiana just so happens to be with her new partner as she sings her verse. The video alternates showing the duet partners together and her sitting with her new beau in a booth, as she reminisces, “You don't like consistency / And he always gon' be the same / And you know I love a toxic trait.” Together they sing the powerful chorus, “Miss the feeling of a new memory / I miss the feeling of waking up to something unpredictable.”
DESTIN CONRAD and Kiana Ledé's “UNPREDICTABLE” has the full package: meaningful, relatable lyrics; stellar musicianship; top-notch production and a quality visual that accurately depicts the song. Get into the "UNPREDICTABLE" audio and video below, and look out for DESTIN as the opening act on Syd's Broken Hearts Club Tour later this month.
