I first became acquainted with PleasePrettyLea about two years ago after the release of her well received single “Chaotic”. A friend of mine was reviewing the song and she sent me a message saying that I needed to listen to the track. I did and I was very impressed, sadly at that time, we had such a crazy schedule on Indieterria, I was not able to write anything myself. Fast forward to 2024 and I’m more than happy to report that PleasePrettyLea is back with her new offering called “FINW” and it’s even better than “Chaotic”. I’m absolutely and utterly in love with this song, I have been listening to it on repeat for nearly a week now. This time, nothing has stopped me from putting the pen to paper (or rather my fingers to the to keypad) to express my absolute delight.
“FITW” single cover
Official bio: Midland’s based alt-pop artist PleasePrettyLea is a weird and enchanting multi-sensory experience whether you’re watching her live on stage, checking out a music video on YouTube, or listening to her through your headphones at home. When Lea’s vocal influences from FKA twigs and Solange combine with heavy 808 near industrial production, her sultry, dynamic tones clash against the harshness of her musical environment, reflecting the complexity of PleasePrettyLea’s rageful effeminate persona. A self-proclaimed dramatic seeking to challenge and thrill her listeners, PleasePrettyLea is innovative and unafraid to handle taboo topics like promiscuity and the darker elements of mental health, often relaying a distaste towards objectification and the expression of toxic love in her lyrics.
“FINW” or “Fleas In The Woods” is the first single coming from PleasePrettyLea’s new project entitled Fog. The project has been in production for over a year now, but the artist has full creative control over it: she is not only composing the music, writing lyrics but also producing and mixing. I’m very happy to see young female artists ditching the classic formula of hiring men to produce their music and trying to do it on their own. Not only are they learning valuable skills, but they are also retaking the narrative, allowing women’s musical vision to finally take the centre stage. Just to give you some info, when Indieterria started in 2016, nearly 90% of grass root music producers were men. The market is still male dominated but according to a 2023 survey, women now account for nearly 22% of music producers and the number is growing rapidly. Changes are taking place in the entire industry, not only on the independent circuit. The Music Producers Guild, an organization representing individuals in the music production and recording professions in the UK, has very similar statistics. In 2016, only 5% of its members were female, now the number nears 27%. They call it a “seismic shift” towards more female friendlier music.
Forgive this rather long digression but its main point is essential to my review. For decades the audience was listening to music performed by women that was written and produced by men. This resulted in a male perspective being the dominant world-view in art. Women sang, looked like and behaved in videos like men wanted them to. When Madonna tried to change the narrative with the “Erotica” album in the early 90’s, mainstream music magazines nearly ate her alive. I’m glad that in 2024, I’m able to listen to an unsigned artist like PrettyPleaseLea and hear her music the way she intended for it to sound. It may sound crazy but such basic luxury was barely available 30 years ago!
PleasePrettyLea picture by Connor Pope
“FITW” stands at 3 minutes and 3 seconds. It’s a multi genre song that is very hard to classify, something that seems to irritate many writers. PR note calls the song alternative pop, but I can add cold wave, electronica, alternative EDM, ambient, dark-pop, lo-fi, dream pop, shiver pop, synch pop and alternative rock. Mid tempo, half sung, half spoken, with dreamy, howling harmonized vocals and nearly K-Pop chorus, “FITW” is a brilliant autumn track right in time for Halloween. The artist herself refers to her style as a “theatre pop” and I highly agree with that description.
PrettyPleaseLea is a wonderful vocalist. She sounds like a cross between Solange, POE, Fefe Dobson and Édith Pfiaf at times. If you listen to her previous songs like “You Are Finally Home”, “Shoveling Shit” or “Burden”, you will easily notice show versatile she is – moving effortlessly between jazz, horrorcore, slowcore, R’nB, pop, experimental pop, hip-hop to cabaret and modern chanson. Her lyrics tackle a wide range of topics ranging from bad mental health, failed or difficult relationships, anxiety to female sexuality and toxic friendships. The titular fleas in the woods are intrusive thoughts that we all have that can seriously affect our thoughts patterns and decisions. Once you allow the thoughts to affect you, it’s very hard to get rid of them and regain a positive outlook again.
We very rarely have the pleasure to review artists like PrettyPleaseLea on our page. What they create is not easily digested. Her music requires attention, knowledge, and deep love for experimental, unifying sound. Of course, you can put her tracks on in the background and start cooking dinner, but you will be depriving yourself of something ethereal, truly beautiful and singular. You need to put your headphones on, close your eyes and let the music flow through you. There is no other way.
With her eclectic sound and manga inspired image, PrettyPleaseLea is the independent circuit’s best kept secret, I truly hope she gets the recognition she truly deserves.
PleasePrettyLea online:
https://www.facebook.com/Pleaseprettylea
https://www.instagram.com/pleaseprettylea/
https://x.com/PleasePrettyLea
https://soundcloud.com/user-661679788
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7N1nHe0SaCotJh2p1Bgllj
https://www.tiktok.com/@pleaseprettylea
https://www.youtube.com/@pleaseprettylea2578
Email: pleaseprettylea@gmail.com
PleasePrettyLea is represented by by Jasmine Khan
Further read:
https://www.rockeramagazine.com/chaotic-by-please-pretty-lea/
https://www.anrfactory.com/pleaseprettylea-yack-conceptually-avant-garde-dark-pop/
https://lessthan1000followers.com/2021/07/14/pleaseprettylea-ohheycide/
http://birminghamreview.net/birmingham-coop-promoters-delivers-on-its-promise-of-an-intergalactic-gig-experience/
https://babmag.co.uk/pleaseprettylea-premieres-visuals-for-nude-silk-dress/
“FITW” was released independently on 18th of October 2024.
Rita Dabrowicz
Indieterria 