Leanne & Naara, the vibrant and quickly rising soul duo that entered the music industry with a bang with their debut single "Again" in 2016 recently dropped their newest track "Anticipation". It's a song that oozes a fun lightheartedness that truly trademarks their identifiable easy-going, acoustic sound. Produced by none other than Canadian-Filipino artist and producer August Rigo (who's impressively worked with the likes of Justin Bieber, One Direction and Chris Brown, and BTS, just to name a few), the song entails the anticipation and excitement one develops when looking forward to meeting a special someone. "It’s a blend of that classic neo-soul R&B with a modern take", describes Rigo.

Initially written by Leanne a few years back, Naara was hesitant to sing in the rap-like style the song first had. "I loved it but the production of the song was so different from how it is now. The verses were mostly sung like a rap and I was kind of hesitant", Naara states.

Starting their music project when the two met in college, the pair liked how their contrasting voices complimented each other. "Leanne’s voice is husky and sultry while mine is the opposite but I think our voices really blend well and that’s what makes our sound unique" says Naara. And since 2016, the duo has made massive strides, winning Best Pop Song for "Run Run" at the Awit Awards, attending the Wish Awards, representing the Philippines for their Singapore gig Bandwagon, and of course, releasing their first album Daybreak in 2020.

August Rigo says working with them was a breeze and that when he heard the initial idea for "Anticipation", he immediately had a vision for it. "I sent them voice notes of me fiddling with the chords to show them the musical direction and they loved it, so I went ahead and did some rough production," adding that he then also approached "Ricky Tillo (from Lady Gaga’s band, who is also of Filipino descent) to lay down some guitars which really rounded out the track and made the sonic complete".

In a time where the pandemic has limited everyone in more ways than one, Rigo admits that he would have loved to work with them in person but that the process was painless nevertheless. "I trust them and they trust me. With that type of relationship and a common goal of making the best song the process becomes seamless" he adds.

Leanne mentions how, despite Rigo's immense success and experience, he's incredibly humbled. "He’s got some really big names that he’s worked with under his belt but the funny thing is it never felt like it at all. He’s a straight-up cool guy, and very easy to talk to. Off the bat, we understood that he does it for the love and that passion, together with our openness, made the process easy."

When asked how he would describe Leanne & Naara in one word, Rigo says "forward".

"I say forward because I feel they are about progress and growth," Rigo expresses about the talented duo, "from the music, their lyrics, their look, they are growing and expanding and it's always great to be a part of something with that motion. There’s always something new around the corner."

"Anticipation" is an exciting look into Leanne & Naara's continuous growth and ability to pay homage to some of the old school artists that they look up to but by still keeping it modern. The tune is filled with "sweet & playful vocals and fun harmonies", as Leanne puts it. She mentions how her idols include legendary names like Amy Winehouse and Stevie Wonder, and this can be identified in the underlying classiness of their tunes. Their taste in music can appeal to all audiences as it transcends into their own music, where there lies a lovely undertone that all ages can enjoy.

With the combination of the sound the duo has developed over the years and the success that has come with each of their releases, there is much that we as audiences can look forward to. "Fans can look forward to a great song and also look forward to more amazing music from the girls", adds Rigo. In the future, Leanne & Naara hope to collaborate with artists like alternative/indie bands including Haim and HONNE, and given their quickly rising success, this may well be a collaboration we will see one day.

About The Author

For Stephanie, her passion for writing has always been there, whether it was writing poetry, songs, essays or articles. Over the years, her involvement as a Singer-Songwriter in the Philippine music community combined with her passion for a wide variety of music makes her a great ear for hearing which arising artists stand out. She is currently making music with the pop electronic band SYLAS.