By Daniel Warren Hill
Contemporary R&B artist Ellie Byers makes her public solo debut with a song that is as dynamic as the conversation she hopes to have with listeners about pretending to be someone else. “Role Play” is a complicated track that to a passing listener could be perceived as a pop star seductress’ siren’s call.
“Role Play” has a sexy quality to it, and that suggestive nature becomes something to reflect on as the listener puts the pieces of the more serious undertones hinted at in the lyrics. It even feels odd it would take long to come to this realization when the first line sets you up for future conflict: “You know we had issues from the start / I’m pretty good at setting things on fire.”
“’Role Play’ is a very personal song for me,” says Byers. “It’s about pretending to be what you think your partner needs and wants, in an effort to keep a sinking relationship afloat. Even if that means sacrificing who you really are. So many of us have experienced feeling like we aren’t good enough for the person we love. I want to help people overcome that feeling with this song.”
Let’s just role play / I’ll be want you want / I’ll be easy / I know that turns you on / So let’s just role play / Can you be who I want / Will you listen / and miss me when I’m gone.”
You can see that consistently accommodating one another without an in-depth dialogue about the underlying problems within a relationship will lead to its demise.
“Role Play” is the debut single from Byers’ forthcoming debut EP, Too Far Gone, slated for release late in 2022, which she hopes will inspire and comfort listeners. Listen below, or on the Alchemical Records MultiGenre Mixture Spotify Playlist.
Daniel Warren Hill is an American musician, writer, and motivational speaker. He is best known as the frontman for Washington DC area Alternative Rock band YellowTieGuy, as co-founder of Capitol Groove Collective, and increasing the exposure of artists on a global scale through his work with Alchemical Records.
After AFI DOCS’s departure, the capital city once again has a documentary festival.
Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
