ON THE RISE
Brooklyn’s own Har’Monique, celebrates the release of her first single in over two years, “One In A Million.” Serving as the lead track from her eagerly awaited album Monique, this song is set to rekindle the flame that listeners have been missing. “One In A Million” is an ode to uninhibited passion and desire. With an infectious beat and sultry vocals, this song sets the stage for a period of intense connection between lovers where the world outside dissolves into obscurity.
“I usually do more pop than R&B since R&B can be a bit slow for my taste. And this song was written in 2017, so I don’t even recall where I was mentally at the time, but I fell in love with this melody and wanted to do something with it,” said Har’Monique.
Released on July 12th, “One In A Million” is the first of many singles to come off Har'Monique’s forthcoming album Monique set to release in April 2025. Over the next several months, Har'Monique plans to drop a new single every other month to get fans prepared for the new music. It’s a lengthy but cohesive album showcasing Har'Monique’s eclectic range, offering a mix of pop ballads, reggae-inspired pop songs, R&B, and some hip-hop.
“I don’t want to be put into a box - ever. This album is a taste of me, and the next song will be pop-based!” enthused Har’Monique.
Having spent over a decade crafting and recording music, Har'Monique boasts an extensive catalog. Though Monique is her first official album release, it marks her seventh in a lineup of eight self-written projects yet to be released. As the album takes shape, the tracklist remains fluid, but fans can expect a robust collection of 15 to 20 tracks, consistent with the length of her previous albums.
Hands-on with every aspect of production, Har'Monique is in the studio three days a week pumping out songs in preparation for this album release. While she leads the creative process, she also collaborates with EngineEarSu, an engineer from Luxor Studios in Brooklyn, and for mastering, she works with Elliot James Mulhern from Soundbetter.com. Additionally, she’s teamed up with U.Kay Hip Productions for the music video for “One In A Million,” is already out."
“I had a lot of producers and engineers who doubted my creative abilities. I couldn’t believe the ways they tried to limit me,” continued Har’Monique, “I’m finally working with people who get me and what I’m trying to put out and have the patience to work with my creative process. I don’t like to be told when something is ready. I’m not a perfectionist; it’s simply that these songs are my babies - this is my image and my brand.”
Har'Monique's artistic journey began with writing novels and short stories in elementary school, earning her recognition and opportunities to share her work. By middle school and high school, she balanced her academic responsibilities with a passion for storytelling, often writing novels, short stories, and poems on the side. Her professional foray into music began when an ex-boyfriend, an audio engineer, encouraged her to try writing and recording music, which ignited a deeper interest in developing original music.
“It’s a creative expression and outlet for me. It’s not about the celebrity factor; it’s about the artistry. I love writing, and while I enjoy singing, my focus is on the sound, the body of music itself, what is created,” added Har’Monique.
While she is hyper-focused on the new album and the music video for the single “One In A Million,” Har’Monique is excited to share that live performances and appearances are coming soon! To catch more from this up-and-coming pop star, listen to the new single, “One In A Million,” available across all music streaming platforms, and follow Har’Monique on Instagram @har_monique23 for news, music, updates, and more.
ON THE RISE
.jpg)
LOS ANGELES — Damion Seraglio Bond and Hannah Leyla are turning up the heat with “Pina in Your Colada,” a playful tropical duet built around flirtation, humor and the kind of chorus that practically demands a room full of people sing along.
Featured as the opening track on Tropical Vacay, “Pina in Your Colada” drops listeners directly into vacation mode. Tiki lights are glowing, steel drums are playing, drinks are flowing and Hannah and Damion are trading lines back and forth like two people who have decided subtlety can wait until after the trip.
That exaggerated approach was intentional.
“I worried that if I hewed too closely to a serious sexual expression, today’s rather Me-Too sensitive folks might misinterpret the point of the song,” songwriter and creator Lloyd Eric Cotsen said. “By keeping it light-hearted and even cheesy over the top, it’s clearly aiming for fun.”
Cotsen envisioned the track as the kind of local favorite heard at a packed tropical bar, where vacationers already know every word and become part of the performance. That idea shaped the song’s crowd vocals and call-and-response structure, including Hannah’s equally confident answers to Damion’s advances.
Creating that chemistry, however, became one of the biggest challenges behind the track.
Cotsen used AI music platform Suno to develop the recording, but directing the male and female vocals proved considerably harder than expected. He ultimately worked through more than 160 versions while trying to get the exchanges right, eventually bringing elements from separate versions to a sound engineer to create the final result.
That persistence helped produce one of the song's defining elements: a performance that feels less like a conventional studio recording and more like stumbling into a beach bar where the entire crowd already knows the chorus.
“Recreating the vibe of a live performance in a bar with a crowd finishing the lines of a song they know and love was something I would have bet Suno couldn’t do,” Cotsen said. “It did it masterfully.”
That atmosphere also made “Pina in Your Colada” a natural opener for Tropical Vacay. Cotsen wanted the album to function almost like a vacation soundtrack, maintaining a tropical atmosphere while moving between comedy, romance and more reflective moments.
“It seemed like the most fun, captured the tropical spirit of the album best,” he said of choosing the song as its first track.
The project continues Cotsen’s genre-hopping approach to songwriting. His work has moved through folk-country, blues, soul, gospel and dance, while Tropical Vacay gives him room to explore Trop Rock and the stories that emerge when people temporarily leave their everyday lives behind.
For Hannah and Damion, that means a relationship that is flirtatious, competitive and occasionally more complicated than the beach-bar antics suggest. Cotsen describes the pair as having a “playfully combative romantic relationship,” with Hannah written as a confident character who can give Damion every bit as much as she gets.
And the fictional duo may eventually move beyond the digital world. Cotsen plans to host a concert with live singers performing selections from his catalog within the next year while continuing work on several additional albums.
For now, “Pina in Your Colada” offers a simpler invitation: turn it up, embrace the ridiculousness and pretend the nearest drink comes with a tiny umbrella.
“Pina in Your Colada” is available now on Spotify as part of Tropical Vacay.
