Any publicity is good publicity, right? So when speculation leaked that Cleveland artist Lorine Chia was sampled on the new Kanye West album, in light of what was actually a sample of Nina Simone, Chia garnered the opportunity to put her spin on the original “Blood on the leaves” classic, Strange Fruit.
After an impressive debut with her 2012 self-titled LP, Lorine, 20-year-old Chia makes a soulful return with a collected and assured cover of the 1939 protest song, realised with delicate keys and an overall sensitivity to the original poem. And let credit be given - seventy years on - Chia is dutifully considerate in her rendition of this complex piece of prose by retaining an awareness of production subtlety.
Chia has been experimenting with a number of instruments from a young age but has managed to return to what is inherently her most prized instrument – her voice. Citing influences from Mr. Hudson, Amy Winehouse and John Legend, she manages to achieve a comfortable mix of R&B and soulful pop, maturing into a confident and poised female artist who isn’t afraid to exercise producing control either.
