Palm trees and other coastal brush offer a unique spectacle when you’re dripping in sunshine. On the ground, they stand tall and wispy in the balmy breeze, or, if it’s a desert oasis like Las Vegas, they cast gauntly shadows against the neon. In reality, though…they’re sparse.
Sometimes the glow of a structure is larger than the subject itself, and as we learn in Aaron Lamont’s latest single featuring Brenna Tipps, called “Shady”, heavy deception comes in the prettiest packages.
These two LA-based artists met at a Hollywood party and instantly connected on a singer-songwriter level, comparing notes and planting the early seeds of collaboration on-site against the evening palms. Tipps, born and raised in southern Texas, moved to the west coast about three years ago to pursue her childhood passions of spooling relatable music that reinvents the pop genre, shaping up to be the next force in post-pandemic music production. Having written her own material and singing since she was sixteen, Tipps found her haven in the cinematic dreamscapes of Los Angeles, finally able to nurture her creative sparks in a supportive community of artists, like Lamont.
“Aaron surrounds himself with such great people, and just being in the studio with them was so great,” said Tipps. “Everyone hyped each other up, and it was such a positive environment…very thankful for him. He’s like family now.”
Meeting Lamont was a match made in heaven for Tipps, who has already released three scintillating singles that tackle familiar motifs of strength and reclaiming yourself in broken situations. After Lamont sent her the self-titled demo beat, engineered by LA-based producer, Maze Taylor, stars began to take shape, as Tipps instantly picked up the subject matter from the rhythms alone.
“Similarly to Aaron, I had inspiration from toxic people and relationships,” said Tipps, “and when he sent me the beat I immediately related it to the title.”
Tipps is a powerful solo artist, but her ideal collaborations come in the form of Lamont, with obvious variations in character. When uniting her voice to another artist, Tipps looks for a strong male to female contrast in vocals, as well as a defined r&b feel. Her solo work speaks to this demographic, producing captivating similarities to Ariana Grande or The Weeknd. What stands out in her music is the swirling decadence of so named artists coupled with a down-to-earth perspective, giving us all something we can relate to sonically and lyrically. On “Shady”, both Tipps and Lamont curl the nuances of damaging relationships around skiddy beats and atmospheric pressure that forces you to look at the palm trees and study their shadows. We’re not always in the presence of giants, no doubt.
“Similarly to Aaron, I had inspiration from toxic people and relationships,” said Tipps, “and when he sent me the beat I immediately related it to the title.”
Tipps is a powerful solo artist, but her ideal collaborations come in the form of Lamont, with obvious variations in character. When uniting her voice to another artist, Tipps looks for a strong male to female contrast in vocals, as well as a defined r&b feel. Her solo work speaks to this demographic, producing captivating similarities to Ariana Grande or The Weeknd. What stands out in her music is the swirling decadence of so named artists coupled with a down-to-earth perspective, giving us all something we can relate to sonically and lyrically. On “Shady”, both Tipps and Lamont curl the nuances of damaging relationships around skiddy beats and atmospheric pressure that forces you to look at the palm trees and study their shadows. We’re not always in the presence of giants, no doubt.
“I wrote this after getting out of the ‘green phase’ of living in LA,” Tipps recalled. “While there are so many positive things about Los Angeles, a lot of things are dramatized and made to look better than reality. You can get caught up in it if you aren’t careful.”
“I don’t want young, impressionable minds who view LA lives on social media to compare their lives and looks to influencers and creators,” said Tipps. “It is so important to be comfortable in your own skin and to love yourself…social media isn’t real!”
“Pop music just has a way of relating to your moods,” Tipps explained, “and artists are changing the dynamic of pop by experimenting with new ideas and sounds that keep it fresh.”
