New-York based pop & alt R&B singer Hunter Blair Ambrose has shared two new singles ahead of her upcoming album Scorpio Season. After graduating from Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 2019, Ambrose released her debut EP, Scorpio Rising, in April 2020. Luxuriating in the melancholy approach of “cuffing season,” the latest singles “Right Now” and “Psycho Summer” fit the chilly moment perfectly.
Right Now
“Right Now,” released on October 22, 2021 is a true dance banger. The luxe percussion on “Right Now” may overpower another artist, but Ambrose’s powerful soul vocals anchor the music. Though at times the production on the vocals dims their shine, Ambrose’s raw vocal talent is clear. One can’t help but wonder how she’d sound on a less synthy track.
The lyrics find Ambrose looking for love; or maybe just a good time? Either way, she just wants to spend the present moment with her lover, no matter what tomorrow may look like. She sings: “Right now it’s just you and me/ No other place I’d rather be/ Maybe it’s not meant to be/ Hard to care with your hands on me.” Though the rhyme scheme begs for some variety, Ambrose’s emotion comes through. After all, sometimes love and lust take the words right out of your mouth.
Psycho Summer
Ambrose sounds uncannily like The-Fame-Monster-era Lady Gaga on “Psycho Summer,” the standout of the two tracks. Gaga is a clear inspiration to Ambrose; on her track “November,” she even repurposed the hummed hook from Gaga’s 2010 single “Alejandro.”
Released on October 29, 2021, “Psycho Summer” could be the next chapter in the heady, lustful love story of “Right Now.” Now that summer’s over and her lover has disappeared, Ambrose feels crazy; was the passion they shared even real? A sparer, more streamlined beat allows her voice to stand out, and the eerie production evokes the end of summer perfectly.
With mainstream pop music growing more experimental each day, it can be hard for a more traditional track to gain traction. However, Ambrose’s tracks paired together reflect an emotional candor in her work that draws you in. She’s no stranger to lust, and no stranger to loneliness; the duality bridges the songs perfectly. Listeners can only hope her upcoming album, slated for release on November 5, 2021 will further dive into bad romance; if anything, she’d make Gaga proud.
Listen to “Right Now” and “Psycho Summer” below.
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