“Smoke” is the debut single from rising R&B star, Masina. Originally from Hawaii, the singer/songwriter now calls Los Angeles home. Determined to make her mark on the international stage, she moved to the city at the center of the entertainment industry.
Although this is her first release, Masina arrives with a fully formed sound. With the style and technique of veteran performer, she strikes the perfect balance between sex appeal and charm. And “Smoke” is an excellent vehicle for her classic R&B feel. A nostalgic groove and jazzy instrumentation create a cool retro vibe.
The song tells the tale of a perfect romance that almost was. The singer finds the right man for a relationship full of promise. Then, just as she is falling head over heels in love, he disappears into thin air like smoke.
As the video opens, Masina sings lovingly to the object of her affection, from the stage of an appropriately smokey club. Every detail, from the singer’s dress to her old ribbon microphone match the aesthetic perfectly. During the second verse the video drops out of scene for a moment when Masina is shown as a jilted bride in a wedding dress. It makes for a cool, slightly dark bit of comic relief.
Throughout the video an unseen band plays a classic, bluesy 50’s love ballad. The mix is complete with stand-up bass, hollow-body guitar and a groovy Hammond B3 organ. But the real star is Masina’s sultry voice. She slides from a smooth R&B tone to staccato eighth note rhythms, and then easily into the higher registers. It’s a great song from a talented young singer
“Smoke” is the first single from Masina’s upcoming EP “Storyteller”, set to release on July 30th, 2020. Check out the video, listen to the track on the Deep Indie Beat playlist, and follow the artist via the links below to stay up to date on her current and future projects.
