Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner. Strong women of colour have transformed the music industry as we know it. One name that we can add to that list is that of Toronto-based pop starlet, Lu Kala. This fabulous young icon is making waves in the industry, and they all better watch out. In the fall of 2020, she released her multi-layered EP ‘Worthy’ which included summer pop anthem, ‘Love Like’. Paired with an equally as exceptional professional lyric video, this single is fun and empowering for all woman alike.
Lusamba Vanessa Kalala, aka Lu Kala, was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo but was raised in the Regent Park area in Toronto, Canada. Music played an integral part of her upbringing, being the daughter of a pastor, she grew up singing at her local church. This orange-haired fiery songstress began her music career writing for artists such as Jennifer Hudson. In 2018, Kala won the grand prize in the RBC’s Emerging Musician Program, winning $20,000 worth of private studio recording time as well as a performance spot in Canada’s Walk of Fame 20th Anniversary Gala at the historic Royal York hotel in Toronto.
In the same year, Kala released her debut track ‘DCMO (Don’t Count Me Out)’ (in both English and in French, her native language). This pop anthem was a huge success and began to pave her red carpet path to stardom. In the fall of 2020, Kala released her new and very personal EP ‘Worthy’. This EP was so well reviewed, Exclaim! Media Included it on their 25 Best Eps of 2020 list! This mini album combines multiple music genres including R&B, pop, soul, dance and even rock. One of the tracks on ‘Worthy’ is the self-loving pop anthem, ‘Love Like’. This song is absolutely everything! It is empowering and energetic. Kala sings about being with someone but at the end of the day, she is going to put herself first. This role reversed take-what-you-can-get attitude is so refreshing and it truly encompasses Lu Kala’s brand as a whole. This fierce diva proves that queens come in all shapes, colours and sounds and this lady is proud of who she is and she ain’t gonna change for no man.
Lu Kala’s strong feminine energy is infectious and her song ‘Love Like’ is a perfect example. This pop music hit was paired with a vibrant custom lyric video that pairs perfectly with Kala’s signature style. It is bright, bold and playful. Immediately, we see a spirited summer colour palette with aqua blue, fuchsia, purple, yellow and greens. These colour choices for both the backgrounds and the text relay a lively mood. These colours are known for representing happiness, confidence, vitality and can even increase your energy levels. The way these colours are paired together in the lyric video is striking such as the yellow on pink and the orange on purple. It is eye catching and truly represents the vibe of the song.
The multiple fonts used further drive the Lu Kala brand home. There is a big and bold style that can represent Kala’s strength and pride, and smaller fonts that are feminine and sexy. All of these characteristics embody who Lu Kala is as an independent artist and really showcases how professional lyric videos can be impactful for the viewers. My favourite part about this music video are the visuals of Lu Kala herself. Instead of utilizing cookie-cutter video girls, we see jaw dropping shots of the fire-haired goddess. This is so unique and really breaks the mold when it comes to music videos and I cannot get enough. We need more powerful female BIPOC in the world and the way that Lu Kala loves herself, we should all be envious.
The lyric video cuts to the single cover for ‘Love Like’ and with the bright orange and pinks, we see the brand representation come full circle. The professional lyric video for Lu Kala’s ‘Love Like’ is a visual embodiment of who she is as a woman and as an artist. It successfully utilizes colours, font choices and pictures to portray a loud and proud brand to its viewers. The video is fun and full of life which matches perfectly to the energy of the pop song. Lu Kala is the kind of artist I want my daughter to listen to, a woman who is bold and knows what she wants and who she is, and I think the world needs a lot more of that right now.
Check out the vibrant lyric video for ‘Love Like‘ on LU KALA’s YouTube channel here: