Written in partnership with Sidon Farris
Lisa Ramey channels Lizzo by ways of TLC’s ‘No Scrubs’ on her brilliantly catchy new single ‘Vagabond’
Lisa Ramey has shown that she remains one of the most influential voices in modern pop music with a string of single releases this year – all of which have slayed in all the right ways…
The artist became a household name for tens of millions of people following her acclaimed appearance on the music show The Voice. Performing with Team Legend, Lisa Ramey stunned audiences with her live performances – particularly her jaw-dropping cover of The Band’s ‘The Weight.’ After the show’s conclusion, as John Legend’s special guest performer on his “Bigger Love” tour, Lisa wowed a packed Madison Square Garden.
When The Voice ended, Lisa forged her path in the music world, retaining old fans and earning plenty of new ones with her powerful live performances. In March 2020, just as the Covid pandemic was on everyone’s minds, Lisa released her debut album Surrender. Rather than let the album be forgotten amid lockdowns and significant global changes, Lisa turned her music into an essential force for good during these dark times. She took to live-stream performances in earnest, teaming up with artists like John Legend, Camilla Cabello, and Common as part of the Global Citizen’s “Together at Home” concert series. During this time, she also headlined on the virtual stages of Questlove’s The Roots Jam Solo Sessions, Spin Magazine, StageIt, The Children’s Health Fund Gala (performing alongside James Taylor), and The Virtual March on Washington (alongside Macy Gray and H.E.R).
Her real-life and streamed performances – alongside her charismatic pop artistry – ensured that her dedicated fanbase stayed with her for every development in her career. This meant that when Lisa Ramey released her second album, Broken Smile – a re-imagining of historically significant but virtually forgotten songs and music of the civil rights activist Ms. Fannie Lou Hamer – fans were right there for it.
2023 has seen Lisa continue to offer various musical treats. The artist shared her defiant single ‘My Creator’ earlier this year, focusing on her unbridled confidence despite all the judgment she’s had to deal with as a successful artist. The follow-up single, ‘Vagabond,’ is another classically brilliant pop banger, delivered in a unique style only Lisa Ramey can achieve.
‘Vagabond’ is soul, rock, boom-bap, and pop – all rolled into one joyous combination. The song is a clap-back at men who have wasted Lisa’s time – the ‘vagabonds’ who stick to the street rather than appreciating what they have at home.
The song is made brilliant by how unapologetic Lisa’s lyrics are – with the artist combining tongue-in-cheek humor with outright sincerity in her words. Her voice is on top form, too – it’s gritty and soulful, packed full of righteous indignation, and complemented beautifully by the catchy call-and-response backing vocals.
As with artists like Lizzo, TLC, Beyonce, and dozens of other prominent soul-pop singers, Lisa is one of those stars who doesn’t take the respect she’s earned for granted – and certainly doesn’t suffer fools who don’t give it back to her…
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