Leni Black

In her debut single, titled “Barcelona Butterflies,” American singer/songwriter Leni Black showcases a wonderfully fragile vocal amidst a backdrop that draws inspiration from elements of ambient pop and the minimalism of an alternative era increasingly dominated by women in the business. Black has an inspiring approach to conventional melodicism here, putting her command of the lyrics second to the tonal presence she implements into a harmony, the resulting cocktail sounding as indebted to the folk singers of yore as it is a more contemporary sound impossible prior to the advent of a millennial generation. “Barcelona Butterflies” joins a crowded market for intriguing pop songs in 2020, but for what I look for in a track of its kind, it has just the right stuff to satisfy this season. 

WEBSITE: https://www.leniblack.com/ 

The lyrical warmth we get out of the verses in this single is definitely incredible all by itself, but when considering how much it’s amplified by the tone of Black’s delivery, it’s difficult to dismiss just how important a role the singer is playing in how well the song is pulled together in the moment. 

There are multiple working parts even in what would seem to be the track’s most mundane moments, and while I wouldn’t say that it’s the most complex debut I’ve heard in 2020 - as it doesn’t come even close - it doesn’t have to incorporate a lot of bells and whistles to show us how powerful a performer its leading lady is organically. Even with the lack of intricacy in this composition, Leni Black’s voice has a way of shining like a diamond in the rough, shedding the murky darkness of the bass component here like a butterfly literally bursting to life in the springtime.

There’s an argument to be made that we could learn a little more about her depth as a singer with a more involved chorus than the one we find in this release, but at this stage of her career, I don’t know that it was an important feature to put into this song. Making a memorable debut is hard enough to begin with, but when factoring in how artistic a number Black has made for us in “Barcelona Butterflies,” it’s all the more obvious how invested she is in this medium. 

AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com.mx/albums/B08K3T7SS6 

There’s still a lot that we don’t know about Leni Black and the kind of music she wants to make as a professional recording artist, but after taking a peek at what she can do in this rookie release, I am absolutely looking forward to hearing how she is going to develop her sound in the future. “Barcelona Butterflies” flirts with certain atmospheric themes that could prove quite compelling if channeled in the right direction, and though I would never want to pressure someone as clearly talented as she is into rushing right back to the studio after making something amazing like this, momentum is a terrible thing to waste - especially for a player her age. She’s got the right chops to do some amazing work, and once you hear this, I think you’re going to agree with me.

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Trace Whittaker

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

11/2020