Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time on KEXP, is "French Lessons (feat. ANOHNI and Kelsey Lu)" by Mykki Blanco, from the 2022 album Stay Close to Music on Mykki Blanco/Transgressive.
On today's Song of the Day, poet/musician Mykki Blanco pays tribute to fellow speak-singer Lou Reed.
“The song is a reflection on the possibility of true love, on the notion that one truly can experience what we see in the Hollywood films,” Mykki states in a press release. “The song is also this ode in a way to Lou Reed. I’m not what I would consider a singer at all, I’m a talk-singer so I look to people in history who have that same style: Tom Petty, Jonathan Richmond of the Modern Lovers, Lou Reed – these are all AMAZING ‘talk singers’ and I feel comfortable in that style vocally. The song was originally composed by FaltyDL and it encapsulated so much sonically of what I was trying to articulate with my own music. FaltyDL has a way of touching on the spiritual subtleties of life. He is able somehow to create mystery out of banality, to create tranquility and fill a room with zen like vibrations, something unnameable and yet so familiar a feeling.”
The song features a guest collaboration with Kelsey Lu. (On the album version of the song, ANOHNI contributes to the track.) Mykki continues, “Kelsey Lu I’m sure will go on to become one of the legendary artists of my generation. A classically trained virtuoso with a voice that sounds ancient like a bell ringing for the first time, like something out of a Greek odyssey. I have been a long time super fan of Kelsey’s and collaborating with her on this song has been a very special moment for myself and FaltyDL.”
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