Peri El wants to “Slow Down”
Singer Peri El has just released the first single from her upcoming EP “Shades Of Blue”, “Slow Down”, which steadily builds into a beautiful and affirming track. The track was written by Peri and her good friend Gabby Record, a frequent collaborator, and it’s about taking charge of your own life and not letting others dictate your path. “When I was 16, my manager and producers at the time were in a rush; they were trying to move at warp speed with my career. They said it was now or never! But my family encouraged me to go to college and work on my craft there, and I am so grateful that they pushed me to do that. Their support allowed me to work on my own timeline. Now as a Senior at Berklee College of Music, I am ready to take the next steps”.
“Slow Down” is an inspirational ballad that steadily builds into a beautiful and affirming chorus, and the track tells the story of Peri’s struggle and triumph of ultimately finding who she is within this industry. “Take a step back / Take a deep breath / Take another look at yourself / And slow down, slow down, slow down / it’s time to figure it out,” encourages Peri in the song. Sometimes, when life knocks you off your balance, you write a song about it. For Peri El, it happened enough times out of the blue that she ended up naming her debut EP based on the phenomenon. Based in Boston, originally from Baltimore, Peri pairs her powerful voice with her unique compositions and arrangements in her upcoming “Shades Of Blue” EP. With this release and an upcoming tour to support it, Peri is poised for big things in 2020.
Peri was born a true storyteller, and she tells her stories through song. Singing since the age of two, she always preferred making up her own stories and singing them rather than reading anyone else’s. After seeing her first Broadway show at age four, Peri knew that she had to pursue a career in music and has been working hard at developing her craft ever since. What Peri loves so much about music is its power to make people happy, helping spread change and putting positive messages out into the world. She channels her vulnerability and uses that to share her personal experiences throughout her own musical output. Combining these elements make Peri a truly gifted storyteller. Her formidable voice, paired alongside jazz elements made pop, make her songs stand out.
Peri will release “Shades Of Blue” in April 2020. She explains, “All of the songs on this EP are inspired by getting knocked down and then rising up. Those experiences came out of the blue and that’s what led me to the EP name. I just got a sudden urge to tell a story in a song and that’s how this work was created”. Following “Slow Down”, Peri’s track “Unfiltered” exposes her honesty and no holds barred attitude with a more uptempo track that has an empowering message. No matter what I do, it’s not good enough for you, and I’m not gonna change my Unfiltered ways. With elements of jazz fusion, the track glides along with a driving guitar riff and comes to a climactic build in the bridge with Peri dueting with the trumpet. “I am unfiltered in my own ways and no one can change me” she declares.
Rounding out the EP are the tracks “Tired of You”, “See Me” and “Who Are You?”, all of which highlight the “Shades Of Blue” themes of strength, self actualization and perseverance. Her approach to songwriting and production are classic, eschewing autotune and using real instruments played by talented musicians. It’s a refreshing take in this modern age, more analog than digital. But Peri’s uniqueness lies in her power to take this concept and also push the boundaries of pop music, resulting in songs that easily combine traditional song structures with playful yet surprising moments. It’s a powerhouse collection of songs that leaves the listener feeling more determined and energetic.
For more about Peri, check out her WEBSITE and her FACEBOOK page
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