Harlem Artist R3FRENCE Releases His First Single of 2020 “Apocalove”

The R&B Ballad Is a Love Letter to Connection in a Time of Isolation

By StageScene MagazinePublished 6 years ago • 3 min read

R3FRENCE performing live at Paper Box, NYC in Brooklyn (8/22/2019)

From R3FRENCE

Thank God for artists. I wanted the cover art for my upcoming single to have a warmth. MayBe So was about trauma, but Apocalove is about trust. Through her gorgeous oil painting, @mdexna_ is helping capture that. And you’ll be able to see the finished product while you’re listening to the new track this Wednesday. These lyrics were not written during the pandemic—but we could all use a warm hug right now. Hopefully, this song will feel like one. Finally, we can love again. I’m thinking of you like normal. Let this preview keep you warm until our meeting can be formal.

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• Lyrics on Genius.com

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artwork by: Na'Asia Smith

design by: SPECTRUMM Animations

lyrics by: Justin Winley

produced by: J Grooves

additional production by: Amir Royale & Synthonio Notelli

engineered by: Amir Royale

mixed by: Amir Royale & Synthonio Notelli

mastered by: LANDR

musical key: E major

bpm: 90

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Press Release

NEW YORK -- Wednesday, April 22, 2020 (EARTH DAY) -- The enigmatic R3FRENCE has released “Apocalove,” his second single since his debut in May 2019 with the simmering, meditative “MayBe So.”

R3FRENCE has been quiet for a while but clearly spent that time evolving. “Apocalove” boasts more complex melodic and harmonic arrangements, as well as a further demonstration of the young artist’s vocal range.

Click here to listen to the record.

The majority of “Apocalove” was written as far back as January 2019, initially intended to be a duet. Though R3FRENCE desired a Valentine’s Day release in 2020, it proved unrealistic, and April became his next bet. Soon after, the entire country was quarantined due to the COVID-19 crisis, and it suddenly seemed perfect to release a song about love during the end of the world.

“The song is a series of metaphors meant to convey utter devotion to someone, even in the face of death,” R3FRENCE writes. “The point is ‘any number of catastrophic situations could occur, but as long as I got you—I don’t care.’ It also paints a narrative arc from the trepidation and anxiety that drives ‘MayBe So.’ It is security in utter release.”

The lyrics—written by R3FRENCE—were inspired most directly by Lauryn Hill’s “Nothing Even Matters” and Daniel Caesar’s “Get You.” R3FRENCE also orchestrated the vocal arrangement with the help of his mixing engineer, co-producer, and longtime collaborator, Amir Royale. Synthonio Notelli (who was previously credited as a music consultant on "MayBe So" alongside Grammy-award winning producer and engineer Bob Power) showcases on "Apocalove" with additional production and mixing credits. The instrumental was originally produced by Canadian beatmaker J Grooves.

The cover art is an oil painting commission by Na’Asia Smith, a New Jersey-based visual artist. Designed for SPECTRUMM Animations, the painting depicts a couple embracing in the midst of a swirling flame tinted with shades of purple and blue—the two main ingredients in the color story of “Apocalove.”

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Cover Art for the single "Apocalove"

Click here to listen to the record.

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About R3FRENCE

参 The Vigilante 照 - Three Egos In One

Hailing from Harlem, New York—R3FRENCE, is a multi-talented recording artist and musician with M. StageScene Communications / Blues Bell Music. He made his debut in 2019 with the release of his lead single "MayBe So." He combines R&B, hip-hop, gospel, jazz, and alternative melodies to tell universal stories about the human condition.

"When we listen to music, we are essentially soundtracking our lives. If you make music, you have an opportunity to create art that is relatable on a variety of spectrums."

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