Silk Sonic in full collaborative force on latest single
By Sarah Fournell
It only makes sense that two of the absolute grooviest artists of the past decade decided to work together. Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars’ single “Leave the Door Open” from their upcoming album “An Evening with Silk Sonic” is a funk-filled nostalgic masterpiece. Both Paak and Mars are modern day R&B powerhouses, with individual projects that emphasize their strength as performers. Their collaboration, which has been in the works for the past three years is nothing short of wonderful. In addition to the first single, they also released “Silk Sonic Intro” which establishes Bootsy Collins as the MC of the album.
“Leave the Door Open” is like a disco ball melting all over the dance floor. Paak’s cheeky verses interlaced with Mars’ velvety choruses make for a song that quite literally feels like silk. The song as a whole feels like four songs in one, each with distinct melodies that flow together perfectly. It combines soul, funk, and R&B, with touches of modernity laced throughout. Paak’s drumming offers a perfect backing for Mars’s sensual singing. The combination of their talents is so organic, with each subject displaying their insane musicality. The lyrics revolve around “dancin’” and “romancin.’” Paak’s adlibs in the second verse include references to Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jackson, and even to his own solo work, with the line “Girl let’s jump in it’s bubblin.” Mars’ vocals shine brightest right before the bridge, embracing you in the warmest way possible.
While the song itself portrays the sheer amount of coolness that Paak and Mars have, the music video does even more. The video, directed by Florent Dechard and Bruno Mars himself, is overflowing with ‘70s suave. The band is decked in shades and Mars’ clothing collection (Ricky Regal x Lacoste), in a warmly lit recording studio. They bounce and sway in fluid synchronization, making their performance look effortless. Outside the studio are elegantly cool women dancing and singing back to the band. Paak’s personality peeks through in the second verse, as his award winning smile is captured from four different camera angles.
Apart from making music, the duo has been incredibly active on social media. On March 7th, they took to Twitter to petition to perform at the Grammys. They tweeted each other back and forth, jokingly begging on their hands and knees to #LetSilkSonicThrive. After several Tweets and a heartfelt note from Mars, they caught the attention of fans and the Recording Academy. They officially welcomed Silk Sonic to perform at the 63rd Grammy Awards show, with the Tweet “We’ve been trying to call you all week. Have you changed your numbers?”
The overall reverence for this track comes from the blatant joy that is visible in their performance. Their genuine love and passion for creating music is evident in their chemistry. With the first single being this strong, the release of the rest of the album is highly anticipated. “An Evening With Silk Sonic” is set to be an exciting display of Paak and Mars’ full range of combined talents.