Kendrick Lamar’s music has drawn me in from the beginning. The narrative scope. The virtuosity. The musicality. The sheer audacity. I have spent years living inside his work, first through my ‘Stravinsky x Kendrick Lamar’ fusion show, and now through this next album, a suite of his music reimagined for string orchestra. I’m pleased to announce that ‘The Kendrick Lamar Suite’ comes out April 24. Presave at the link in bio.
The song you’ve all listened to the most is not a cover. It is “So She Leapt, Unburdened, Into the Unknown”, played by Lucia Micarelli. An original composition I wrote at the piano, then arranged for full orchestra and solo violin. One of the hopes in recording all the covers is that they will lead you to my original music. I’m so grateful for all the support this has received.
Watch the full video documenting the recording process on my YouTube channel at the link in bio.
Some melodies just belong to certain instruments. The moment I sat down with Kendrick Lamar’s “Love,” I heard a cello. The beauty of that melody, the way it sings…it was always meant for strings. @sethparkerwoods is so extraordinary in this. He plays it so beautifully. This is what it sounds like when music this essential gets the orchestra it deserves.
I’ve spent years inside Kendrick Lamar’s music. And the more time I spend with it, the more convinced I am that this music is as essential as anything Stravinsky, Wagner, or Mozart ever wrote. So this suite isn’t combined with another composer; it’s Kendrick through my own musical lens. I just wanted to let it breathe through a string orchestra. Beautiful where it’s beautiful. Ferocious where it’s ferocious. To Kendrick fans: yes, I’m right there with you. 🎻 ‘The Kendrick Lamar Suite’ available now.
“HUMBLE.” was an adventure. I wanted to honor the ferocity of that song, the emotional power of Kendrick Lamar’s message. And with strings, I wanted to find a new way to hit just as hard as the original. 🎻
When I approached “Humble” for string orchestra, I wanted to honor exactly what makes that song so powerful — the ferocity; the emotional force of Kendrick’s message. So I wrote a violin melody from scratch. Something that shows off everything a string section can do. Because this music is as essential to me as Brahms or Stravinsky. Kendrick fans — I’m right there with you. 🎻
It is here. ‘The Kendrick Lamar Suite’ is out everywhere. Kendrick’s creative brilliance, storytelling and virtuosity have captivated me from the beginning. This suite is my love letter to his work.
Tracklist:
1. wacced out murals
2. luther
3. Not Like Us
4. LOVE.
5. HUMBLE. Intro
6. HUMBLE.
Listen to the EP at the link in bio.
Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” is ferocious and unrelenting. It was those characteristics I channelled when writing these new string lines. I’m so excited for you to hear the results. ‘The Kendrick Lamar Suite’ EP arrives Friday. Link in bio to presave.
