Actor and musician Anthony Ramos has released a new video for his song, “Say Less,” featuring his co-star from the upcoming In the Heights film adaptation, Melissa Barrera.
“Say Less” is an unabashedly steamy piece of R&B that finds Ramos crooning over swift but soft drums and atmospheric synths: “You had enough of the distance so I came,” Ramos sings, “I got what you need to numb the pain/Know what you want babe/Just say less, less, less.” The video, directed by Bobby Hanaford, captures the mood of the song, with Ramos and Barrera playing out a passionate romance while a darker heartbreak seems to lurk beneath.
“‘Say Less’ is a transition song into this darker world I am exploring in my music,” Ramos said in a statement. “This video is a depiction of two people in a fleeting inferno of a relationship — one that can never be stable — but is too amazing to give up in spite of the inevitable outcome. They’re keeping a flame alive that will eventually burn out or explode. Not sure how it’ll end up, but in the meantime ‘Say Less’.”
Ramos released his debut album, The Good and the Bad, in 2019, while last year he dropped a pair of singles, “Relationship” and “Stop,” as well as a cover of Sly and the Family Stone’s “If You Want Me to Stay,” featuring Ari Lennox. Ramos also voiced one of the characters in the animated film, Trolls World Tour, starred in Honest Thief, and appeared in the filmed recording of Hamilton, which was released on Disney+. In the Heights is set to arrive in theaters and on HBO Max June 18th.
MUSIC PREMIERES
It’s been nearly a decade since Smokey Robinson’s last album, but new music from the King of Motown is on the horizon.
Robinson will release the nine-track album “Gasms” on April 28, the music legend behind hits like “My Girl” and “The Way You Do the Things You Do” announced Friday.
“Gasms” features new songs produced and written by Robinson himself. The former vice president of Motown Records released his last collaborative album nine years ago, “Smokey & Friends,” which featured musicians like Elton John, John Legend, Steven Tyler and Mary J. Blige.
The upcoming album’s first single, “If We Don’t Have Each Other,” is now available on streaming services.
Robinson is a legendary music producer, songwriter, record label executive and solo musician who’s penned over 4,000 songs and been inducted into the the Rock ‘n’ Roll and Songwriters’ halls of fame.
The musician has worked with other historic Motown artists like the Temptations, Mary Wells, Brenda Holloway and Marvin Gaye.
Robinson will soon be honored alongside fellow Motown musician Berry Gordy as the 2023 “Persons Of The Year” at the Recording Academy’s annual MusiCares event on Feb. 3 in Los Angeles.
