With his heart on his sleeve and his soul spilling out, Los Angeles singer/songwriter Lee Lewis weaves a tale of love and longing in “Willing & Able,” his irresistible and achingly intimate debut single.
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Love is so much about the right time and place, ‘Willing & Able’ leans into the feelings of hope and pain when you just have to wait for your turn.
Like Bert and Ernie or peanut butter and jelly, love and longing are a timeless, classic combination – two bedfellows that go together all too well. Sometimes that bittersweet duo comes from missing your one and only; and sometimes, it’s because your one and only isn’t yours – not yet, at least. With his heart on his sleeve and his soul spilling out, Lee Lewis weaves a tale of love and longing in “Willing & Able,” his irresistible and achingly intimate debut single.
It’s his beautiful dark twisted melancholy: One of two passing ships in the night, always out of sync. It’s never quite the right time… but he’ll wait.
You tell me about other guys and come to me for advice
While I just smile and reply, “just give it time”
But then I wake up and the idea of us is on my mind.
Im staying up taking notes of everything that I know
About the man that you’re owed
Hold me while I wait
Wait for the day
That you say you’re able
I’m willing to stay
I’ll wait for the day
That you say you’re able
Released September 20, 2023 via Bright Antenna Records, “Willing & Able” is a stunning introduction to an artist channeling the deepest and rawest parts of his humanity into his art. A classically trained operatic vocalist, Los Angeles singer/songwriter Lee Lewis cites inspirations from both classics – folks like Donny Hathaway and Gerard Souzay – and contemporaries like Adele and Sampha.
The result, at least as far as “Willing & Able” is concerned, is a song that feels both fresh and timeless.
“Honestly, the song name says it all,” Lewis tells Atwood Magazine. “This is a song about waiting for someone to be willing and able to be with you. It’s about the longing for someone that’s simply on a different timeline than yours. Love is so much about the right time and place, and ‘Willing & Able’ leans into the feelings of hope and pain when you just have to wait for your turn.”
“Writing this one was actually pretty fast and easy compared to my usual process. I wrote it in LA, at Pink Cloud Studios with Sam Westhoff (producer of the song). We played Outkast’s ‘Protoype,’ which is one of my absolute favorite songs, and the session kind of just took off from there. Sam played guitar and we figured out the right guitar line to lead with, I started chowing down on a Milky Way candy bar, getting my creative juices flowing, we chatted briefly about some men in my life, and then bam the song was written and I was singing in the booth. Simply put, it was the smoothest and most natural session I’ve had yet aha. Give me food, some moody lighting, and a good conversation, and we’ll have a song!”
So I’ll keep playing the part.
The one who’s there from the start.
The friend that waits at the bar. Is it nice?
When you wake up and someone else is on your mind?
Hold me while I wait
Wait for the day
That you say you’re able
I’m willing to stay
I’ll wait for the day
That you say you’re able
Hold me while I wait. While I wait.
Hold me while I wait. While I wait.
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Stream: “Willing & Able” – Lee Lewis
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