We’ve been big fans of pop duo Just A Leo since we premiered their 2021 single, “Hideway”, and have enjoyed their output ever since. We’re delighted to be premiering their latest single. “I Promise”, a track acknowledging and honouring the seven year relationship between the duo.
Kalliope stars on vocals, with Andie multi-tasking on synth, guitars, drums as well as mixing and producing. They have faced the the formidable challenge, and joy, in eeking out a living making music and doing life together.
In “I Promise”, the vocals of Kalliope again take centre stage. They are parallels with the great Florence (+ The Machine), as she sings the unbridled truth of the joy of being together (“You are the thought that starts my day”), and what steps they take to stay together (“I promise I won’t let you down / I’ll be the one to talk it out”. ). The swirling vocals, the driving bassline and some passionate layered harmonies keep this flowing and buzzing.
The duo have taken inspiration from the likes of Chanel Tres and his Detroit house sounds, and the mindblowingly creative grooves of our own local hero, Genesis Owusu in “I Promise’.
Clearly, the mythical seven-year-itch hasn’t hit these two – “It’s not only about how we’ve made it work for so long, but how much our relationship has improved by simply saying ‘I promise I won’t let you down.,” they write. As well as being able to put together a cracking tune, the clarity of what’s important in a relationship is totally on point here.
“We’ve had to compromise so many things about ourselves to better serve the other person. I do a bad thing, I get called out, I change my behaviour. She does something bad, I call her out, she changes her behaviour.”, says Andie, reflecting on their 7 years together. “So far it’s worked. We started out with terrible communication but managed to build this beautifully fulfilling relationship that other people seem to be jealous of.”
Andie and Kalliope have clearly take inspiration from many quarters, musically and spiritually. Earlier this year, they uprooted themselves and moved to Europe, on a cultural and spiritual pilgrimage. They’ve adopted the mantra that you ‘can’t find yourself while you’re comfortable.’. Their spirit and openess is paying off, and we are stoked to be showcasing this track, ahead of its release on Friday.
You can follow Just A Leo on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify and YouTube
