Even the best relationships sometimes reach a crossroads. Whether things have run their course or one simply needs to reroute, communication is definitely key when it comes to getting to the bottom of affairs of the heart. After a nearly six-year hiatus, trumpeter Keyon Harrold returns and there are a few things heavy on his mind. A dazzling introduction to all that is to come, his new single “Don’t Lie” captures all the emotions felt when there’s been a change in a relationship and things aren’t quite right.
On “Don’t Lie,” Keyon is accompanied by American Idol alumna Malaya. She asks the tough questions of her partner and is prepared to handle the truth in her lyrics. “I'm waiting for answers / Is it me or another? / Tell me right now / Waiting for answers / Is it me or another? Don't lie,” she sings. Where words fail, Keyon and his trumpet convey the urgency of needing to know where one stands.
This latest offering notes the pivotal point in a relationship where the need for clarity and the desire to preserve what remains intersect. Via press release, Harrold explains, “(It’s about) the superimposition of vulnerability juxtaposed against the volatility of the most sure feelings ever felt. Fulfillment in the mind while feeling lost and starved intimately and emotionally abandoned. A simple and honest request of a lover to simply be honest. Is this request ever heard? Or is this just a meditation?”
Form your own conclusion when you listen to Keyon Harrold’s “Don’t Lie” featuring Malaya below. Add the track to your collection of soulful jazz from your preferred digital music platform. Support Harrold directly on Bandcamp and grab tickets to catch him live at St. Louis’ Music At The Intersection festival and the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival next month.
