By Shamar Blunt
Valentine’s Day, the day on which chocolates and roses are purchased for lovers all around the world, was a special time for Barbadians this year. Not only because COVID 19 restrictions were finally lifted after more than a year of constant curfews, but locals also were pleasantly surprised by a new sensual track by local songbird Leigh Philips, entitled Body On My Body [B.O.M.B].
Leigh as she is known on the stage, spoke to Barbados TODAY recently about her new track, with the Honey Jazz veteran stating that her love of 1990s music laid the foundations to what has been her most sensually charged single yet.
“It’s basically a fantasy – it’s about desiring someone who is not in your physical presence, so you want to see them dearly but they can’t be with you at the time. That is what the hook is about; how was your day, what are you doing with your night, I think you should be here with me.
“It was inspired vocally by 90’s R&B. I was a big fan of Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey, but particularly by the songs I Give My All and So High by Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton respectively.
So this particular song, the way the sensuality oozes off of every line like those timeless 90’s R&B tracks, I wanted to emulate that, but in my own way,” she explained.
The song which was self-penned and produced by her frequent collaborator Mad Mixy, also had its accompanying music video shot fully on the island, with the aim being to show off some well know relaxing areas on the island in a new intimate way.
“Concept wise, we wanted to take people around to chic and intimate spots around Barbados, Drive-In, Worthing Square, and Enterprise Beach overlooking the water, seeing me and my “love interest” Buff Poet, going through all of the motions which lead up to him coming over for the night.”
When asked how she gets her creative thirst going for music during the still ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, Philips bluntly stated that music has and will always be that inspirational place she seeks refuge in, even in the most testing of circumstances.
“I was still releasing new works during the pandemic.
I did “Say When” with Ridah Kadabra, “Lockdown” on my own, and “Talk To Me” featuring Leadpipe in 2021, which received great traction and inspired me to keep the momentum going into 2022.
“What has kept me going is the love of it, I cannot imagine doing anything else. While I have a day job now, during the earlier stages of the pandemic I lost a previous job I held, and all that I had during that moment was music.
“It was really rough mentally and emotionally to not know what was going to happen next, but the music was always there.
So for me, that was always the one constant support for me throughout two years of COVID 19,” she said.
All was not doom and gloom during the pandemic however, according to Leigh, the trials of the period really outlined the need for artistes like herself to fully invest into their brands and their connections with their fans, not only big way with concerts and outdoor performances, but in the small ways with social media interaction and small content updates.
“Overall, the way we treat content and marketing strategies, I feel those are the areas that this pandemic really drove in, that you have to pivot and find a new inventive way to help yourself and your brand stand out.
For me, that is one thing that I will say coming out of this pandemic, and finally being able to do more in-person shows and that kind of thing, is to still make sure that you still maintain some form of an online presence.
“Not just taking long social media breaks for no reason, but remaining in contact with your fans and making sure there is constant interest in what I as an artiste have to offer.”
Philips also hinted at future projects slated to drop later in 2022, that promise to bring the singer back to her Jazz and Soul-inspired roots.
Philips has two upcoming live performances with her band at the Sage Bar & Stage in Maxwell, Christ Church. Fans can see her live on Saturday, March 5th and Friday, March 11th to hear her perform B.O.M.B.
