STELA COLE HARKENS BACK TO PARTY SOUND OF THE 1920’S FOR LATEST EMPOWERING SINGLE + MUSIC VIDEO “RHAPSODY IN PINK”

Though it’s been a century since its occurrence, the decade of the 1920’s has proved to be fertile ground for artists today to draw inspiration. The sound, style and entire attitude of that time period has inspired film, TV, art, writing and music — especially when it comes to its groundbreaking jazz and big band influences. It’s no wonder then that pop-star-meets-hip-hop-artist Stela Cole has drawn inspiration from that time period for her newest single and music video, “Rhapsody In Pink.”

Stela Cole has built up a growing fanbase over the years with no-nonsense, bristling tracks that serve to empower listeners to recognize their self-worth. This is no more apparent than on “Rhapsody In Pink,” whose chorus proudly proclaims, “If it’s not fancy then I don’t f***in’ want it / Give me all you got and we get the party started / I like all the glitz and the glam / The groupies and the stans, if you’re not? / Then I don’t f***in’ want it” — implying she never wants to settle for second-best. It’s a sentiment that fits well with the arrangement of the song, as Cole pulls out all the stops to genuinely fuse her hip-hop-pop roots with the big band sound of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue,” from which the song draws its name and main riffs. As Cole says of the song’s inspiration:

“I have been scheming the song for over five years now. I grew up loving George Gershwin, and his piece ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is one of my favorite compositions of all time. One night back in 2016, I was watching Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby and it was playing at the party scene where they first introduced Jay Gatsby … I had just gotten into writing music, and it sparked this insane epiphany. I thought to myself, ‘how has nobody flipped ‘Rhapsody in Blue?!’’’

Similar to Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, “Rhapsody In Pink” does a fantastic job of taking something anachronistic and making it work surprisingly well with something retro. Whether it’s synths, Cole’s vocals or an actual big band performing the famous composition, the original “Rhapsody In Blue” seamlessly plays throughout the track against typical hip-hop beats and Cole’s confident rapping — with other references to the 1920’s with lines like, “When I bat my eyes like Betty Boop / Yeah, it’s a lot of fun when you pick and choose.” It’s a strong song that’s represented by a great music video, in which Cole — decked out in all shades of pink clothes, furniture and interiors — speaks directly to the camera about how she knows her worth and only accepts the best. It’s a one-room video of Cole surrounded by opulence, which mirrors the Gershwin sample well and makes the case for the message of “Rhapsody In Pink” perfectly.

Stela Cole has had a busy year, highlighted by her participation in NBC’S American Song Contest, where she represented her home state of Georgia with the catchy original song, “DIY.” Stay tuned for more from Stela Cole as the year goes on — take a listen to and watch her latest single, “Rhapsody In Pink,” below!