There’s a subtle art in letting go and embracing change. In some cases, the process can be thrilling, and in other circumstances, it can be unnerving.
“I think for so many people, there are things we hold onto and realize as soon as you let that go, you just opened up room for new blessings and new energy,” Leven Kali tells Rated R&B one early afternoon in October.
It’s about a week away from the release of his new EP, LET IT RAIN, which is out now. It’s the follow-up to the Santa Monica, California, native’s 2020 album, HIGHTIDE.
A few things have changed in Kali’s professional life since then. He parted ways with his label Interscope Records, where he released his first two albums, Low Tide and HIGHTIDE.
Last June, Kali, who is now independent, produced and co-wrote “Tragic” by Jazmine Sullivan. The song appears on her Heaux Tales, Mo’ Tales: The Deluxe, an extended edition of her Grammy-winning album, Heaux Tales.
Most recently, Kali had the opportunity to collaborate with global phenomenon Beyoncé on her chart-topping album, RENAISSANCE.
He co-wrote and co-produced four tracks on the critically-acclaimed album, including “Alien Superstar,” “Plastic Off The Sofa,” “Virgo’s Groove” and “Summer Renaissance.”
“Seeing the effect these songs have on people is insane. I’ve been at different parties where it’s people listening to that album from beginning to the end,” Kali points out about the response to Renaissance.
“It just has this infectious, uplifting and coming together effect on people that I feel is an element of R&B and Black music that used to be around all the time and has been missing. That really inspired me to have some of my own records kind of give that same energy.”
LET IT RAIN is ladened with funky grooves bound to light up dancefloors. “It inspires movement. You can move to it however you wanna move,” he notes. Each song offers a nuanced vignette of being liberated from a particular feeling or situation to make room for something new.
LET IT RAIN acts as an intermission for what Kali has in store. “It’s so many directions and interests I have musically that I want to explore after this. I think this project is a perfect stepping stone for me to continue to explore and be more of who I am,” he explains.
In the meantime, Kali launches his Let It Rain Tour tonight (Oct. 28) in Los Angeles, California. He will play across North American cities, including Seattle, Portland, Toronto, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
Kali promises fans are in for a treat, especially since it’s his first headlining tour. “I was supposed to go on a tour right after HIGHTIDE dropped in May 2020. Obviously, that tour didn’t happen. I did an opening tour in 2022, but this will be the first time I play these Low Tide, HIGHTIDE and LET IT RAIN records for everybody,” he notes. “I’m excited. Expect this tour to be incredible. It’s not gonna be a regular tour. It’s gonna be a party.”
In Rated R&B’s interview with Leven Kali, the singer, songwriter and producer breaks down every song on his new EP, LET IT RAIN.
“LET IT RAIN
The inspiration [for the EP] started with the song “Let It Rain.” Musically, I was inspired to make something that felt like the R&B and soul music that I love, but that had some groove behind it. I was kind of feeling like R&B music was missing a dancing element, in that we had sort of an R&B scene, a hip-hop scene, and then a dance scene that was almost fully separated. The song “Let it Rain” was me exploring a world where R&B music could be dance and groovy. Then the project turned into this whole expression of that in a bigger sense.
“MELTING/HAD 2”
“Melting” is another funky, groovy dance type of track. The whole idea behind it is something that I’ve been thinking about, where you grow up and figure out who you are, then it gets to a point where maybe you’ve been influenced a little too much. And to truly become yourself, you have to get rid of some things — the unlearning. I’ve been calling it the “melting.” That’s kind of a phase where I feel like I’ve been in my life, where I’m trying to melt away all the things that aren’t me. That track was inspired by that feeling and then how that just applies to the groove and just feeling good.
Dixson helped me write some of these parts. We work all the time. When we get in the room, we can talk for five hours and make music for one [hour]. We had a long conversation. We talked about stuff going on with family, stuff going on with career, and then this idea of melting and growing by letting things go. We just kind of bounced ideas back and forth. He’s one of my favorite collaborators in the world. I love Dixson.
“EVERYTHING I WANT”
It’s a love song that has a bounce to it that feels like some 2000s-influenced R&B bounce. It expresses this journey of love and self-discovery. It fits really well after “Melting/Had 2” because there’s certain things you need to do to allow space to have love and get the things you want. “Everything I Want” is that part of the story.
“TEARS OF JOY”
“Tears of Joy” is super dope. I love that song. It kind of gives a little bit of Rock&B. It’s a beautiful record that has more of a traditional song format that I feel like is missing. You don’t hear a lot of bridges these days. You don’t hear a lot of modulations these days. You don’t have a lot of people recording harmonies live in the studio. I had the homie Devin Morrison and the homie Jael over at the studio. We were singing sh*t, like three people on the mic at the same time — some old-school sh*t, which was so dope. It was very fun. We went out to dinner, came back and a few sake bombs later, we were like, “F**k it, let’s do this shit the old school.”
“EEK”
“EEK” is a track that I made with Robin Hannibal. It’s about those moments when you might be out — you left the club or whatever — and you get in an Uber, and the Uber driver asks, “How’s your day going?” And you actually give them an answer, instead of just being like, “I’m good.” It’s like the perfect stranger to someone who’s totally disconnected from the situation. That was the feeling on this song. You’re talking to somebody, in any circumstance, and you choose to open up. It’s a venting song on this EP. It’s an emotional journey. It’s self-discovery. In a cool way, it ends the project and brings you back to the beginning, if you were to listen to it on loop. The story is kind of circular in that sense.
Stream Leven Kali’s new EP LET IT RAIN below.