Leela James made a name for herself with her brand of big-voiced soul that connected with her audience thanks to tracks like her debut single "Music" and her most recent jam "Complicated." She's also a musical artist that's not afraid of reinventing herself. She does just that with her latest single "Reach For It," which takes the songstress from soul maven to house diva.
Produced by Rex Rideout and Mike City, "Reach For It" cribs from the classic house sound of the '90s, which is fitting as it's being released by legendary house label Strictly Rhythm. Hard-hitting programmed drums, synths and an upbeat piano melody pushes up the tempo and good vibes while also setting up Leela nicely as she puts her larger-than-life voice to work to make us move.
Lyrically, "Reach For It" is a motivational track made to inspire us to keep going harder for the things we want out of life. "You can't hold me back / 'Cause I'm set free / Flyin' so high / I'm doin' me," Leela sings on the opening verse. "Livin' in my truth / Unselfishly / Shinin' so bright / I know you see me." She keeps that momentum going through the song's chorus, which repeats the title to the song's undeniable rhythm, and a brief bridge on which she talks her s**t.
It all comes together so effortlessly and naturally that we're almost surprised that Leela James hasn't opted to record straight-up dance tracks in the past, though she has been good at dropping house remixes alongside the studio version of her singles. Either way we're ecstatic that she's embraced the style now, as it seems to be a match made in dance floor heaven. Give "Reach For It" a spin when you press play and then stick around to move to the song's lyric video below.
