The Latin American singer-songwriter Lorely Rodriguez, also known as Empress Of, just announced the release of a new album titled Us. Along with the announcement, she is sharing the lead single “When I’m With Him” and premiering a video. The self-directed video features Rodriguez dancing and hanging out with girlfriends in the back of a pickup and lounging around a pool. Watch the video below.
Us is Rodriguez’s sophomore album and is due out October 19th via Terrible Records. Rodriguez recorded the album at various locations across California in between touring and performing. Collaborating with her on the album are Dev Hynes ( aka Blood Orange) LA producers Sam Griesemer and Jerome Potter of DJDS and Spanish electronic musician Pional but, Rodriguez produced about 70 percent of the album.
Educated in jazz music, Rodriguez says that it was her experience singing Celine Dion and Mariah Carey as a child in her living room that shaped her into the artist she is today. A talented multi-instrumentalist and producer, Rodriguez cites her mother as her biggest influence.
Her debut album Me, came out in 2015 and Rodriguez describes it as “a deeply personal exploration of her emotional world” making it sometimes difficult to perform. Adding, “It was, like, every day, just giving myself to the audience.”
With her new album she wanted to engage in a better connection with her listeners, creating a “community.” “It’s not just love songs, It’s about different experiences of the heart,” she said. “ I want it to be like a mirror, and [the audience] sees a little bit of themselves in every song.”
In 2016 Empress Of collaborated with Darkstar for the single “Reformer” and released three singles of her own that year.
Vinyl Me, Please will offer a members-only exclusive physical copy of Us during the month of November.
The Physical pre-order is available here.
Us track list:
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1. Everything To Me
2. Just The Same
3. Trust Me Baby
4. Love For Me
5. I Don’t Even Smoke Weed
6. Timberlands
7. I’ve Got Love
8. All For Nothing
9. When I’m With Him
10. Again