ItsLee on “Making Lemonade from Anything”
By: Collect Calls
Tags: Collaboration, Music, Teamwork, Positivity, Positive Thinking

Monday, August 9, 2021

Of the several releases during this year, ItsLee’s “The Get-Go,” a collaboration with Dom Fricot (who did the lyrics and vocals), already has almost 345,000 streams on Spotify, the second highest to “Rattle and Hum” (another collaboration with Fricot), which has over 600,000 streams. Originally from Chicago, ItsLee grew up in Helsinki, Finland. With almost 140,000 monthly listeners, he has released a considerable amount of music already, including several more recent hits such as “Ego” (my personal favorite aside from “Rattle and Hum”), “If You Want Me Too,” “Makes Me Wonder,” and “Body Heat.” In addition, there are several past tracks on his Spotify. Along with his obvious talent, he also has a hell of a work ethic and a positive attitude, almost to the point that he is like a motivational speaker.

Considering this, it’s not a surprise that ItsLee started young. Influenced by classic artists such as The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and The Doors, he began playing the guitar at 10 years old and began producing at 17. Doing everything from composing the music with the vocalist to recording and adding other sound effects and mixing, he definitely wears many hats in his current career, and his previously-released tracks are a testament to this — there isn’t one note out of place.

Despite that level of work and responsibility, ItsLee said that he is “Trying to learn not to get involved with any pressure and rather let the creative process/inspiration lead the way through all of it.” Not too bad of an outlook, if I do say so myself, and very timely, given that everyone seems to have their own version of pressure and stress in the current state of the world.

His outlook is very apparent in songs such as “The Get-Go.” When I asked him about the process for the song, he said, “I wrote it with my good friend Alex and Dom did the vocals. I did rest of the production and mixing.” At hearing this, I was curious to know how long it took him to write it. He said, “Long story short, had a late [night] session with Alex, recorded the guitars and got [Dom’s] vocals on it and it was about done!” The lightning speed with which they completed it is totally consistent with the song’s impact. The beat and rhythm are perfect for a dancefloor anthem, especially with the heavily emphasized drums. In addition, the intermingled sound effects are the equivalent of shooting stars. Dom Fricot’s vocals are perfect for this sound, too. All things considered, I want someone to twirl me on the dance floor to this song. Immediately.

On a different note (pun totally intended), the song itself, lyrically, is a testament to our expectations versus the reality. In terms of the song’s thematic message, ItsLee said:

“Life or love starts out so optimistic. For some, our parents tell us we can be anything we want and all our dreams are possible but as we get older we start getting jaded or we start learning that there is a cruel reality to everything. And maybe, JUST maybe, not everything is [as] within reach as we were told.

“That being said, this isn’t a jaded song to me, it’s more about learning as we grow and remembering that while it may not be what we expected we still have the power to ‘make lemonade from everything’. (-Dom Fricot quote) But this is a mutual feeling…”

Given the state of things right now, this particular message is one that we all need to highlight for each other. It has been over a full year of reality checks in terms of making quite a bit of lemonade, and even in regular life without a pandemic, we have to deal with realities that we weren’t aware were in existence beforehand. We start out with a child’s eyesight, and sometimes we have to put a different pair of shades on. However, we can find a way to make it regardless.

The same bittersweet vibe is apparent in some of the more recent tracks. “If You Want Me To” (a collaboration with Michel Fannoun) is a song about a person wanting to be with someone and being willing to go “anywhere,” but only if that person desires it (hence the title). “Ego” is a female voice basically telling a certain guy that he’s full of himself and that she won’t be falling for his tricks. I have to point out here that Camilia’s voice is absolutely addicting on this track. In “Makes Me Wonder” (a collaboration with nowifi and Vide) a guy pines over a girl he knows and sees frequently, but he has yet to win her. Definitely a lot of lemonade-making going on here. There’s something about these, too, that’s way more satisfying than yet another song about two people for sure getting together.

In addition to this, I asked him if he had any advice for those who want to bust into this business. He said, “Whatever it is what you do [I] really do think [it’s] important to be yourself, live your life and search for the right inspiration. Have fun and work with people you like and feel good being with. Making music should not be forced…Work hard, do a lot of songs, push yourself. No one will do that push for you[.]”

This guy already deserves ALL the follows, and even more is sure to be on the way. To find out more, visit his Spotify page, ItsLee, and follow him on Instagram at @itsleemusic. You can also see him alongside Kasper Granroth for their project Elite Tennis Club, or @etcsports on Instagram. ■