Montreal’s Ada Lea (the moniker of Alexandra Levy) latest single is “hurt,” her first new piece of music in 2021. “hurt” lives in a snowy Montreal winter, a city that Levy calls home and lives and breathes through her music. It thrums with bass and brooding keys, as Levy uses frank language and imagery: “somebody hurt me badly, now I’m stuck in a rut // now I don’t know my body // I could say it or say nothing at all // take a walk or take none at all // get on a bus back to montreal // tell my friends or say nothing at all.” When the song hits its peak, her voice is carried by a swirl of strings and quick-tempoed keys.
Like 2020’s woman, here EP, “hurt” was recorded in LA with producer/engineer Marshall Vore (Phoebe Bridgers, Better Oblivion Community Center), and a band that includes Johanna Samuels (backing vocals), Harrison Whitford (guitars, bass), Eve Parker Finley (strings) and Tasy Hudson (drums). In the accompanying video, directed by Monse Muro, Levy sits at a decorated table, awash in desaturated colors. Peculiar images and colors flash through as the song grows in intensity.
“hurt” follows Levy’s woman, here EP (2020) and her debut, what we say in private (2019), a collection of raw, confessional, and at times messy emotions, presented through beautifully colorful pop songs. “hurt” is a first taste of what’s to come.