Alt-Pop Duo Lord & Lady Release Fresh EP 'No Ghost' Set To Drop August 24
By: Julie Musbach Aug. 20, 2018
Capping a whirlwind run for their latest single "The Lift" (over 20,000 YouTube views, nearly 60,000 Spotify streams), alt-pop duo Lord & Lady - aka L.A. based singer/songwriters Scott Oatley and Rachel Panchal - are set to drop their edgy and soulful, vocal harmony driven four track EP No Ghost August 24.
Testament to the duo's loyal fan base, the Kickstarter campaign they launched to help fund the recording, videos and marketing for the new project, raised the conservative initial $6000 goal in a single day - and ultimately netted nearly double that amount.
Without even realizing it, millions of Winter Olympics viewers worldwide were treated this past February to the duo's soul-stirring harmonic magic, as their beautiful "La La Land Medley" served as the surreal soundtrack to a performance during the pairs free skate by Russian figure skaters Kristina Astakhova and Ryan Gosling lookalike Alexey Rogonov.
The medley has been nothing short of a phenomenon since Lord & Lady first posted their video on YouTube in December 2016, earning over 5 million views and counting. Their YouTube channel, which features over 25 videos - including a batch of originals, a Chainsmokers/Coldplay mashup, a John Mayer tune and their popular clip for the equally compelling "The Greatest Showman Medley" - has over 10,000 subscribers, and the audio of "The Greatest Showman" has over 145,000 streams on Spotify.
Those who have been fans of the duo since the first release will notice a distinct difference in their overall vibe when they hear the four tracks of No Ghost, While lyrically, "The Lift," "No Ghost," "Dance It Out" and "When Love Becomes a War" tap into the many ups and downs of romantic relationships, musically these tracks are edgier and more in the alt-pop vein than their straightforward singer-songwriter leaning debut.
"Yes," Oatley says, "we have our own flare and style in the covers we've put out in the last year or so, but to share more of our story and see others excited about that is the best sort of reminder of why we even set out to make music in the first place."
Echoing her partner, Panchal adds, "Making this EP was really cool because it was a very collaborative project. Scott and I worked closely with our producer Steve Shebby (Neon Trees, We The Kings, Hugh Jackman, Aly & AJ) to build the soundscape for each song, and create something that felt familiar, but was also unique and had a stamp of its own. When I listen to the record, I hear our voice in every aspect, and that's super cool."
Oatley and Panchal are grateful that their Kickstarter campaign allowed them to include listeners in the process of developing the EP's tracks from the very beginning. She says, "Our Kickstarter backers and social media community have walked through this whole experience with us, and we get to hear their immediate feedback and excitement for the songs. I really feel like I've gotten to know a lot of the people who enjoy our music personally, and I love hearing about their lives, and how our music impacts them."
Both Scott and Rachel are seasoned singers whose combined credits include "High School Musical," "Jurassic World," "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," "Glee," "The Simpsons," and more. Prior to the release of their "La La Land Medley," Scott had just sung in the studio choir during the recordings of "La La Land" songs "Another Day of Sun" and "Someone in the Crowd" and had an inkling the film would be a big hit. He and Rachel worked out their special arrangement, then shot and posted the video - which quickly took on a life of its own.
Scott and Rachel initially created their YouTube channel to showcase a music video they created for Wix Music's Opening Act campaign, and to keep their momentum going after the release of their critically acclaimed self-titled 2015 debut EP. The EP's first single "A Little Longer" won First Prize for Best Group/Duo at the International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA), and earned semi-finalist recognition in the International Songwriting Competition.
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