Irie Love Drops “Mahalo” Single
posted in: Music News
Irie Love‘s new single “Mahalo” bridges the divide between pop and reggae to offer a triumphant, gear-shifting ride that ends up remarkably smooth. This kind of genre sampling is appropriate for a former backup singer for both Pink and Morgan Heritage, the latter of whom signed Irie Love (her for-real given name) to their production company and took her on tour as an opening act.
“Mahalo” is the first shot from Love in advance of a new album We Rise, funded by her fans and expected in 2016, and coming after the success of her 2012 debut This Is Irie Love. The song is a bold artistic step forward, recontextualizing traditional elements of reggae and dub into a modern production, inspired by artists like Major Lazer, Jah Cure, Chronixx, and Alina Baraz, and created in collaboration with writers and producers across four continents. “My first album was created while I was on tour, backing other artists, over a span of 7 years across several countries,” Love says of her new music. “Hawai’i is my root, but I am a multi-cultural multi-ethnic woman and it’s my goal to have that come across in this album. I represent humanity.”
Listen to “Mahalo” below: