April Maey: “Airplane Mode” EP, a Journey of self-discovery

April Maey is a singer, songwriter, and performer who lives in Ghent, Belgium. Her soul is rooted in alternative R&B music. R&B is a fitting conduit for her to tell authentic stories and express her emotions. April navigates the space of music with a backpack full of melodies, and an expert approach to lyrical storytelling.

“I’m very focused on artistic expression, but my sound ranges from soulful to rhythmic, and from introspective to expansive in its scope, making it more than lyrical storytelling,” she says as she describes her sound.

In March 2020, April launched her first EP entitled ‘Ticket to Anywhere’. This first set of tunes gave listeners a taste of April Maey by virtue of her range of melodies, from razor-sharp, to smooth and whimsical. The EP successfully captured the sound and style of an eclectic artist who was beginning to pique listeners’ interests as a result of her remarkable vocals and originality. My favorites on this EP are “Sunshine and Nothings over”

Ticket To Anywhere EP floats with a bottled, jazzy excitement. You feel butterflies with each new verse.” – NPR

On her 2020 EP, Ticket to Anywhere, Belgium-based Nigerian soul singer April Maey spun wispy songs about unrequited affection and romance-induced insecurities over featherlight beats.” — The Face Magazine

April Maey spun wispy songs about unrequited affection and romance-induced insecurities over featherlight beats.” — The Face Magazine

AIRPLANE MODE EP

Following the success of her feel-good summer single, “Sweatshirt,” and her latest release, “Far Away”, R&B songstress April Maey caps off the year with a 5-track EP that is a kaleidoscope of shifting emotions, “Airplane Mode”. Airplane Mode EP was released on all DSPs on Friday, December 9, 2022, with the track-in-focus, “Too much.”

The EP combines smooth beats with soft vocals to create a soundscape that reflects the feeling of being disconnected, but also the excitement of leaving everything behind. Using R&B and Hip-Hop, it expresses a loss in social connection mixed with the boost you get from a fresh start.

“Airplane Mode is a lyrical poem about feeling lost in your own world, and the journey to discovering oneself”.

April Maey.
Aiplane Mode tracklist and credits

This EP is about a journey to find yourself; it’s about feeling lost in your own world and discovering something new. It’s about being disconnected from the world but still being able to connect with those in it.

April opens the EP with “Helping a Friend” featuring Boogey. This song is an expression of love and support from friends. She expresses her fear of losing strong connections through distance and also in the quest for chasing her dreams, Boogey voices his reassurance and support as a solid friend. “Too much” is about a short-lived romantic entanglement where she realizes the man she likes too much is actually in a relationship and they only got each other for the winter before returning to their homes. “Sunday” and “I’m in Pain Too” are poetic descriptions of pain from lost love and losing oneself in the process, a moment of bargaining in pain and acceptance of what is. The EP closes with “Darkness” which highlights the importance of finding oneself amidst the confusion. Light only shines in the darkness.

Streetlights don’t make the world bright, they only work at night

April Maey

Each track maps out the journey of finding yourself: it’s about feeling lost in your own world and discovering something new. Through moody soundscapes layered with heartfelt swooning vocals and authentic rhymes, Airplane Mode paints a picture of feeling disconnected from the world, yet still striving to build meaningful connections within it.

Listen to April Maey’s “Airplane Mode” today- Airplane Mode (streamlink.to)

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