RESPECT. Interview: Lorelle Howard Talks Music Influences, Come Up, and "Runnin"

We recently caught wind of Lorelle Howard through her latest release which is the visual for her hit “Runnin.” In the record, she shows of her sweet and pleasing vocals over Blastar production. Lorelle is Chicago-born and NYC-raised so her grind is very heavy. Without a doubt, she is going to blow up in no time. We recently caught up with the star to get to know her a little more. Check out the interview below!

RESPECT.: You have a very unique sound and I really want to know who your musical influences are.

I grew up listening to such a wide array of music and that has influenced my ear and, in essence, my storytelling. I listen to a lot of jazz and classical music, but also a lot of old school r&b. Brandy and Mariah Carey are probably two of my biggest musical influences. Aaliyah, obviously. But I also love Stevie Wonder and ABBA. This list can go on forever. In terms of what I’m listening to right now I would say a lot of Janelle Monae, Xavier Omar and Gallant.

RESPECT.: Tell us about that moment when you decided to start recording and releasing your music.

I’ve been singing since I was about 4. I sang in every school chorus and church choir. Around 16, I would say I recorded my first song with some friends from church. I knew I wanted to sing always but I didn’t know my style or my voice at that age actually. I would say after college I began recording more full time. I released some music while in NY, but it still wasn’t me. My most recent stuff, Shadows and Runnin, are songs that I wrote from real experiences in my life and that represent pieces of me. These are songs I knew I wanted to share with someone because I know people have dealt with the same situations. And for me, that’s what my music is about. Letting people know that we share a mutual experience and I’m singing this song to let you know I understand.

RESPECT.: While singing at open mics around NYC how did that make you a better musician?

NY can be overwhelming to some people. I sang at some open mics and actually sang quite a bit of jazz after I graduated from college. I think I learned how to be better on the stage. And how to be myself. It’s really hard to get in front of people and sing anything because for me it’s always so personal. There’s an energy inside of every space, every room. And when you sing, you can pick up on that energy. I try to use my voice to create another energy and spread it to everyone so they feel what I’m singing. That’s what singing live has taught me.

RESPECT.: What inspired “Runnin?” Also give us the details on the music video’s concept and making.

I actually wrote Runnin before I had the track. I started thinking about relationships and how complicated they can be. And how sometimes you think you’re ready for something and you just aren’t. It’s also about how past relationships affect how you react to the next person in your life and how sometimes it is the right person for us but the wrong timing. For the video, I kept thinking about Thelma and Louise and wanted something with this theme of escape. So, I decided that I would show that I was nervous to get married to this guy and that my best friend (who happens to be my best friend in real life) would “rescue” me and we would drive off and spend the day honestly just enjoying our freedom. The team that I worked with, Kings Court Productions, scouted the locations, which was in Saint Saveur, Quebec, and they sketched out more of the story. These two guys have an amazing eye and are super detailed so I knew the video would turn out beautiful no matter what. We ran into a ton of technical issues, which caused us to change some of the story, but in the end, it worked out really well.

RESPECT.: What’s next for Lorelle Howard and where can we find you?

I think every artist says they are working on their EP or album, and I’m no different I’m always working on new music and new concepts. My producer, Blastar and I have a lot of projects we are putting into motion and so hopefully there will be more very soon. As of now, you can find me on all streaming and social media platforms under Lorelle Howard.