Music Review – Rome Alexander’s ‘A Song for Mama’
22 year-old Rome Alexander has been making some impressive waves in the independent music scene lately. He’s signed a major distribution deal, charted with several singles, and he’s worked with award-winning producers and mentors. His versatility is vast, and while early on in his career, his catalog already exhibits an incredible variety of genres and style choices. His latest single is no exception, ‘A Song for Mama.’ Let’s dig right into it.
Half of the proceeds from the song will go to Safe Mothers Safe Babies, a non-profit organization that attempts to make strides in health care of mothers and their newborn babies. In third world countries, mother and child mortality rates are very high due to improper care. This philanthropic gesture is an apt one, considering ‘A Song For Mama’ is indeed a song for Alexander’s mother. The song hauntingly mixes R&B, pop, and acapella influences into a beautiful tribute.
There are two pieces of ‘A Song for Mama’ that make it so immensely good. First, Alexander’s vocals are stunning and his vocal layering and harmonies are absolutely breathtaking. Second, his lyrics are painstakingly honest, opening his heart about his close relationship with his mother and his appreciation for her. It’s the song so many of us feel for our mothers, but may have never been able to articulate as well as Alexander has.
The actual production of ‘A Song for Mama’ is somewhat minimalistic. Alexander and his harmony vocals take the reigns throughout and he’s very modestly backed by brief beats, some sparse keys, and synthesizers. For a piece like this, it couldn’t be more important that Alexander and his voice remain the spotlight. The production on this tune allows that to happen remarkably well.
The last time I heard a soft-spoken R&B pop ballad dedicated to a mother this good was the release of Kanye West and Paul McCartney’s ‘Only One’ last New Year’s. Much like the hip hop icon and former Beatle’s collaboration, ‘A Song for Mama’ digs into the heartfelt feelings we all have for the women who raised us. It’s a beautiful tune, one that exudes personality and prowess on behalf of Alexander.
By Brett Stewart
I’m a professional writer and editor, a journalism major, and I have extensive experience in musical review. I worked for two years as the Editor & Chief of an arts magazine, Strike Magazine, where I worked closely with writers and musicians. Through this, I was able to interact with dozens of acts including Heart, Holly Williams, Robert Cray, John Hiatt, and more. The magazine printed thousands of issues and was even recognized by Rolling Stone’s founder, Jann Wenner.
