Jalen Ngonda has been on a one-man mission to revive the heart of soul, with a specific fondness for the classic Motown sound of the late ’60s and early ’70s. The fruits of that labor — including his debut album Come Around And Love Me and singles such as “Illusions” and “Here To Stay” — have proven that the singer-songwriter is more than worthy of the praise that has been heaped upon him. He continues on his upward trajectory with the release of his latest single “Anyone In Love.”
“Anyone In Love,” like many of Jalen’s other songs, takes love as its inspiration. This time, however, he’s warning of the hurt and pain that can come when love’s flame ceases to flicker. With rich instrumentation — including piano, bass guitar and slightly mournful strings — he delivers his cautionary tale as he paints a picture of what could happen if one doesn’t work to keep romance alive.
“Anyone in love / Knows that you can’t just leave / Roll up your sleeves and say ‘bye,’” he sings with his impassioned vocals at one point. “Anyone in love / Knows that hearts break in two / This can happen to you.”
And, as per usual, Jalen didn’t leave it at the studio version. While gigging at London’s famed Abbey Road Studios, he took a moment to record a live rendition with just him and the piano. The simplified version doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the studio recording, but it does have the same heart, showing that he doesn’t need much to make his songs shine.
Our love for Jalen Ngonda grows more and more with each release, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Give “Anyone In Love” a spin when you listen to the stream below. Then stick around to watch his impromptu performance at Abbey Road Studios.
