Between releasing a slew of singles with his new band, collaborating with Elise Trouw, speaking at Music Biz 2023 and performing at the opening party of the NIVA 2023 conference, it’s safe to say that Wichita singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rudy Love Jr. has been having nothing short of an eventful 2023. That trend doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon, as his band, Rudy Love & the Encore announced that it will release its debut EP, The Beauty of Burdens, on September 22, 2023, via Midtopia.
Alongside the news of the EP, the band has also shared the record’s latest single, ‘Good Time’, alongside an accompanying music video.A lifelong musician from a long line of celebrated artists and performers (such as his father Rudy Love Sr.), Rudy Love Jr. has, from an early age, had a front-row seat to the live music biz and the culture surrounding it. While living in Los Angeles, in between his solo output and collaborating with world-renowned artists like Inglewood SiR and D Smoke, and opening for Anderson. Paak and Snoop Dogg, Rudy observed just how much of a presence the addictions of nightlife has in the live music industry, for better and worse. This dynamic functions as the thematic core of his band’s latest single.
‘Good Time’ continues Rudy Love & the Encore’s streak of concocting soul, funk, and r&b-infused pop that embraces the eclectic rather than resting on its laurels. Built upon the foundation of its core pop-r&b sound with layers of summery Afrobeat/Latin style percussion and sunny, retro-inspired synths added into the mix, what initially seems like a fun and easy-going track is a deeper exploration of how musicians deal with or succumb to an industry and culture that can feel like an endless party.“I first wrote this song while staying at a hotel in Las Vegas and overhearing strangers talk about having “way too much fun” and subsequent consequences that ranged from bar fights to spending too much money, says Rudy. “What I heard immediately reminded me of what myself and the rest of the Encore have experienced as part of the live music industry.”
To accompany the new single, Rudy Love & the Encore shared a new music video for ‘Good Time’. Directed by Dre Kahmeyer, the ‘Good Time’ music video depicts the contemplative subject matter of the track in a decidedly light-hearted fashion, with the utilization of vibrant colors and costuming, visual gags (like a reference to The Hangoverfilm trilogy), and party-induced hijinks driving home what could be read as the fun of the party life or cynical read of the system. For Rudy, that creative decision was intentional.“
With ‘Good Time’ we wanted to make something akin to a “Rorschach test” for listeners,” says Rudy. “Some people hear a light fun song, but others might hear something closer to a cry for help. As musicians, it is usually basically our get people to spend money at the bars, clubs, and venues we perform in. With that in mind, there’s an interesting correlation between what we do and addiction.”
He continues; “To apply that concept in the video, we not only had Dre shoot the band party around some of our favorite places in Wichita, but we also had them just film us legitimately having too much fun at a tour kickoff show for our friends in and fellow Midtopia members, The Cavves.”
About Rudy Love & the Encore
Rudy Love Jr is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Wichita, Kansas whose music blends elements of soul, funk, and R&B to create a sound that is uniquely his own. Born into a musical family, Rudy’s love for music was instilled at an early age by his father, Rudy Love Sr., a renowned musician in his own right.After several years of hypercompetitive hustle in the Los Angeles music scene (which included collaborating with world-renowned artists like Inglewood SiR and D Smoke, and opening for Anderson .Paak and Kamasi Washington), Rudy Jr. returned to Wichita in late 2015 to start writing the music he had a passion for, with the latest iteration of this being Rudy Love & The Encore.Consisting of Rudy Jr. himself (vocals), Marrque Nunley (drums), Rachelle Love (percussionist), Willy Simms (guitar), and DJ Breathett (bass), Rudy Love & The Encore could arguably be interpreted as the zenith of Rudy Love Jr. in his element. The Encore is set to release its debut EP this fall, with previous singles ‘Cocaine Crowd’ and ‘Overcome’ embodying the group’s stylistically eclectic songwriting and the hyper-synergistic musicianship between Rudy and the rest of the band.
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