IVANA SANTILLI

IVANA SANTILLI

Late Night Light With her latest full-length release, Late Night Light (her first since 2010) Ivana Santilli delivers a measured take on modern soul. Since her solo debut Brown in 1999 — and even back to her early ’90s role in R&B crew Bass is Base — Santilli has preserved a penchant for personal and passionate soul, generously borrowing elements of pop, funk and jazz. The singer-songwriter and instrumentalist opts for a “grown folks” mentality here, with 11 tracks of mature thematic content. Tales of broken relationships, wounded hearts and drumming up the resolve to keep moving forward characterize the project. Lead track “Forever 4 Now” rocks an ’80s electro-soul groove, as does the island anthem flavour of the standout “Lovers Love 2 Rock.” The perils of online dating are explored amidst the bloops and beeps of “Calculate,” while the French language “Long Silences” serenades with mellow melodic movement. The album walks a balance between old soul and modern production, leaving listeners relaxed and sated. (ivanasantilli.net)

WHAT DO YOU WANT LISTENERS TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ALBUM?

This record is situational — it depends on what you are going through at the time. I always wrote about love and this time there are different angles to it. “Love Me Back” is about my relationship with love. It’s not about anyone specific, because there were a few and all the same type. This record is [also] influenced by how technology has really affected our personal relationships.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU STILL HAVE ANYTHING TO PROVE?

I’ve been underrated many times, which is a strange compliment. It gives me the freedom where I don’t have to redo all my own records. I can do anything right now. I don’t have to do something that I’ve already done. RYAN B. PATRICK