🌸 Stream on Spotify: open.spotify.com/track/3fD0xzJy1F…b22e9db302dc4cb7 🌸 On all other platforms: song.link/Starz

Written by the legend Mcklezie of Grind Mode, produced by the legend Gorilla Tek, and engineered by the amazing  @not_linden and @____avry____  😇It's always a joy and a privilege working with these timeless geniuses!

Recorded at Audio Vision Studios.

Laena

Starz (ft Mcklezie of Grind Mode)

I do not own this instr.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liR1bH990jY. For demonstration, nonprofit purposes only. 

May/may not finish. Certain parts don't fit my voice

Mariah Carey - Heartbreaker Rmx (WIP Cover)

I do not own this instr: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUEw0k27g3g. For demo/nonprofit purposes only.

Mariah Carey - Make It Happen (Laena's Cover)

My rendition of Janet Jackson's "When I Think Of You" (: DL my newest cover of Tinashe's Aquarius at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aquarius-single/id1198671753
Label: ANOM!LE/STARSH!P: Electronica
Prod, Mixed & Mastered: MJ Darl!ng https://soundcloud.com/starsh-p-electronica

Janet Jackson - When I Think Of You (Laena's Cover)

DL/stream my new single "Like A Dream" here: https://music.apple.com/us/album/like-a-dream-single/1482589386
DL/stream "Aquarius" on https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aquarius-single/id1198671753

My cover of my fave Tinashe song, Aquarius, is here! Prod. Clinton Green & engineered by James Bevelle at Audiostate 55 Studios. It's only the beginning <3

Tinashe - Aquarius (Laena's Cover)[DL/Stream Below]

Written & performed by myself, prod. https://soundcloud.com/drawzilla & Tytan Music, & engineered by Drawzilla at Drumline Studios. Additional vocals by Drawzilla. #qtpoclove
iTunes: itun.es/us/l8WUkb
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6s6aptSulPXoYB5YYZh3nd
CD Baby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/laena2
#SharedandDifferentOppressionsThruMusic

LYRICS

V1:
There are times when I've fallen 
Fearing all of the judgement 
I wonder, I wonder
Does that mean that I have to give up? 

Create a world we wanna live in, 
(Past the concessions)
I know this can't mean 
The way that it's meant to be 

Prechous: 
You know you've got me, 
I know I've got you 
You know you’ve got me,
Girl - Don't the sun always shine?

Chorus: 
Yeah, I've been waiting 
For this moment 
Baby, I've been waiting 
I've been waiting for this moment 
Waiting 
Waiting for this moment 
You know, you know, you know it's been so long 
I've been waiting for this moment 

V2: 
What's the point of coming 
If you don't plan to show up 
What's the point of coming 
If you aren't breaking it down? 

I, I love 
The way 
The way you put it on me 

[Prechorus] 

[Chorus x2] 

Outro:
Yeah, 
Oh yeah
Yeah, Waiting for this moment
Yeah
I’m waiting for this moment
Yeah, waiting for this moment

This Moment

Written/performed by myself, prod. Drawzilla & Tytan Music, engineered by Drawzilla at Drumline Studios, NY<3
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-it-or-leave-it-single/1364734584
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7zgEbNWnur5789Wdyn9ZrM?si=CULRwXhTT6iPLWXeGjh1xQ

LYRICS
[Chorus] 
Can’t live your life like no one 
Just be yourself and focus 
(Love it or leave it) 
My life goes on & on 
x2 

V1: 
Accept what I am 
and all my parts 
And I’ll do the same for you 

And if you should ask my questions, 
Just don’t try to start with this: 
Where I’m “from" or what I’m mixed with 

That is all I ask, 
That is all I ask 
And you should know that 
Institutions love 
Our diversity, but 
They don't love us, 
They really don’t, yeah, they don’t love us 

[Chorus] 

V2: 
We have our dreams 
I love 
the glow 
of your skin 

We have our dreams, 
We have our dreams 
Let us fulfill them 
Let us live them 
Give us strength, 
Not restraints 
I keep 
my head 
in the books, yeah 

[Chorus] 

[Bridge] 
I just can’t wait no more 
x2 

[Chorus]

Love It Or Leave It

Prod. by the incredible @gorillatek and written by myself & the equally incredible @songwriterpendrick. Some of my favorite lines: “Just think how it’ll look when we’re thriving, not just some of us/We need some joy in our lives”; “It’s like a dream I imagined; I like it, I love it, just being authentic/Oh you don’t like it? That’s not my problem.” A huge TY to the badass @rnbaecollective team for all of their amazing work on this release; they’re total bosses💜 Cover art: the visionary @crisdacat. 

This song is inspired by being bold and finally starting to live on my own terms 😊 As I was writing it, I thought about having the freedom to be your authentic self, and how a Black, Brown, and Indigenous, queer and trans, prison abolitionist-future isn’t just a pipe dream. Our community is what keeps us safe. ALSO ~ Post your dance vids using the hashtag #likeadream or DM me, & I’ll post them!

LYRICS
[V1]
Why are we all judging?
When you could help me
They say that's how it is, but I know there's something greater

[Prechorus]
I see you look, now I caught your attention
I'm feelin' good, yeah, I'm better than ever
This feeling's so beautiful, I could cry

[Chorus]
It's like a dream I imagined,
It's like a dream I imagined
I like it, I love it, just being authentic
Oh, you don't like it?
That's not my problem

[V2]
I don't know tomorrow, but I know
That I am capable, oh whoa
Just think how it'll look when we're thriving,
Not just some of us
We need some joy in our lives

[Prechorus]
I see you look, now I caught your attention
I'm feelin' good, yeah, I'm better than ever
This feeling's so beautiful, I could cry

[Chorus]
It's like a dream I imagined,
It's like a dream I imagined 
(Dreamin', babe, dreamin' baby)
I like it, I love it, just being authentic
Oh, you don't like it?
That's not my problem

[Bridge]
Just sit back and let me do my thing
Gotta keep it steady, now keep your eye on me
And I don't really care about what's too much
'Cause I wanna love out loud, 
And right now -

[Chorus]
It's like a dream I imagined,
It's like a dream I imagined (Ooh, it felt so real)
I like it, I love it, just being authentic
Oh, you don't like it?
That's not my problem

Like A Dream

Los Angeles-born/Southern-raised R&B songstress, Laena, is known for her devil-may-care disposition towards normativity. Her home life was highly influenced by musicality, with the likes of Charlie Singleton, her stepfather from the 80s funk group Cameo. Her passion for vocalism was fully realized upon her joining choir as a sophomore in high school, and later, show choir. From there, the fires ignited, and she began penning her own songs and covering some of our favorites. Her first single “This Moment,” an ode to fluid sexuality, social change, and love, premiered on all major DSPs in 2017.

Inspired by the paths of artists such as Sade, Janelle Monae, Mariah Carey, and Jhené Aiko, this velvet-voiced, queer South Asian songstress takes into account all aspects of what it means to be a professional singer-songwriter. Laena is also a social justice advocate centering Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks. 

At present, Laena is set to release her very first EP, which will include her latest single “Like a Dream,” plus new and prior works.

Laena

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