Alt-Pop Artist Lakookala Shakes Off Societies Collective Stress in Energetic New Single “Outside of Your Body”
Watch the Official Music Video Here
April 15, 2022 - Emanating a sentiment we can all relate to, alt-pop artist Lakookala acknowledges the tension that the last few years has created in her energetic new hit “Outside of Your Body”. Paired with a juxtaposing visual, “Outside of Your Body” honors our survival mechanisms as we all learn to heal and cope with the trauma of the pandemic, political unrest and pure exhaustion since the beginning of 2020. Living in Los Angeles, Lakookala is coming out of her cocoon as she’s ready to shake it all off after the release of her most recent hit “The Wrong Places”. In the new track, she acknowledges the out of body experience that happens when undergoing very stressful situations. By prioritizing things like mental health, she hopes “Outside of Your Body” helps listeners to let out their collective rage as everyone digests the last few years in their own unique way.
“The world is radically different than it was a few years ago. I needed to re-energize, and was having a difficult time reconnecting to myself, and others. I started writing about all the ways in which I cope, all the usual vices that I go through. I realized how much I missed dancing it off in a sweaty club with friends, and what a healing energy it is to dance. This song is about daydreaming, celebrating coping mechanisms, facing shadows, and expressing rage. It is an ode to my younger self, watching MTV, living in a fantasy and dancing it off.”
Directed by Cojo and Lakookala, the fun visual features playful puppets who dance alongside her in their 80’s inspired workout gear. Watching the video, it’s hard not to smile; even though society is dealing with a collective heaviness, it’s art like this that lightens our spirit and most importantly, reminds us that we are in fact, not alone. The juxtaposition of her lighthearted visual and to-the-point lyrics brilliantly create an existential vibe that is often confronted when the stress of a situation becomes too much to deal with. Instrumentally, “Outside of Your Body” brilliantly captures the chaotic essence of Lakookala’s music by looping the catchy chorus underneath her verses which in turn, creates an out of body experience of its own. Her stylized punk rock vocals are reminiscent of an early Kathleen Hanna with a dynamic and infectious energy to match.
“Sometimes I party, work hard, play hard and sometimes I straight run away / All love outside of the body, how do you feel when you are outside of your body” ~ Outside of Your Body
About Lakookala: Blending post-punk inspired bass, infectious vocals, sparse synths and downtempo back-beats, Lakookala embodies an elevated alternative & post-punk style that is modern and bright, angry and heavy, youthful yet soulful. During live shows, she leads her band as both a drummer and vocalist. The multi-talented artist presents a unique and personalized style to the Lakookala project and “Outside of Your Body” definitely does not disappoint. Her introspective storytelling delivers a raw, emotional vibe that we’ve needed after an objectively difficult year.
Photo Credit: Catherine Asanov