Northern California-based singer/songwriter Annelise LeCheminant is gearing up to release her fourth album and has recently revealed the single and video for “Passport” that teases her new work. Also a vocal coach and the founder of a songwriting group, LeCheminant continues to have a varied career built on years in the studio and on the stage.
Today, we’re delighted to premier the single and the video for “Last To Know”, a second track from her forthcoming album. The new song, which LeCheminant co-Produced with Matt Wilder, will arrive this week on May 31st, 2024.
“Last To Know” dramatizes the divides that can exist between the “mind” and “heart” when it comes to relationships, but while a fair number of love songs explore the irrationality of falling in love, “Last To Know” tells a less common story, that of the emotions that can’t easily turned off by rationale when a relationship is over. Many of us will be familiar with that feeling of waking up in the morning and briefly feeling that a loved one who we’ve lost is still alive, before remembering the truth. In a similar way, the emotional connection of a relationship might continue to reach for us even though in a direct way, that relationship has ended.
However, something that’s particularly helpful and meaningful about “Last To Know” is that it takes an empathetic approach towards the heart, admitting the lag and suffering it endures, rather than standing in judgement over its failure to quickly move on. LeCheminant’s conversational, confessional vocals don’t inflect darker emotions or frustration, instead allowing the reality of the situation to be considered and accepted. In this way the song advocates for the validity of the heart, even if shouldn’t always be allowed to make long-term relationship choices alone.
The video acts as an interpretation of the themes of the song via two dancers. The dance in the video was both choreographed and performed by Sydney Smith and Izzy Facchetti. It makes an excellent addition to the ideas of the song, and brings home even more directly the ways in which the intellect and the emotions interact when they “face off”. At times, they are seemingly in conflict, but at their best when they come to terms with each other. In the video, we even see the “mind” gradually being won over to the heart’s point of view, and their harmony suggests a degree of comfort and reassurance as they support each other during a difficult time. The choice of a naturalistic setting also seems to hint at the possibilities of growth if the “mind” can be brought closer to the emotions rather than acting as a taskmaster.
LeCheminant shares:
’Last To Know’ was inspired by the battle between the mind and the heart when it comes to relationships that aren’t good for you and how the heart is usually the one that drags you back to the relationship. It’s the last to know–it’s easy for people to get stuck in the loop of bad relationships so it’s a culmination of stories of when the heart just doesn’t want to let go–it’s a very devoted organ.
Regarding the video written, produced and co-directed by LeCheminant and co-directed and edited by Adam Asdel, she adds:
When I started designing this video in my head I knew I wanted dancers. I wanted one to represent the ‘head’ and the other the ‘heart’ but in reality, they are the same person. In the bridge the ‘head’ realizes that its much more fun to be free and whimsical like the heart so she ends up changing.
For “Last To Know”, LeCheminant enlists her favorite collaborating musicians, including Gary Lunn on bass (Dolly Parton, Idina Menzel, Amy Grant, and more), Steve Brewster on drums (Dolly Parton, Bob Seger, Chicago, Jewel, and more) and Paul Allen on electric guitar (Adele, Big & Rich, Jewel, and more). Thomas Anderson also makes a special appearance on the didgeridoo.
Annelise LeCheminant has had a substantial career as a singer/songwriter so far, but also as a Producer, as she co-produced three albums with Matt Wilder. Her “dream team” of musicians have worked on all her projects and include Gary Lunn, Steve Brewster, and Paul Allen.
After spending a number of years in Nashville, in 2008 she moved to Los Angeles where she had the opportunity to sing in a backing choir for Ray Davies & The Kinks. In 2010 health issues caused Annelise to pause on her music career and she became a Certified Singing Success/Brett Manning Associate vocal coach, and has now been teaching voice and songwriting for over 12 years.
She’s also the founder of a “songwriting accountably” group called FiftySongs where participants write a song every week for a year while receiving education and feedback from guest instructors, some of which are Grammy-nominated educators. All the the songs for her current album were born out of FiftySongs.
In addition to her own album, many of her participants are recording their music and by the end of 2024 over 30 songs will be released by FiftySongs participants.
