“Midnight Whispers” by Raquel Rodriguez
Genre: R&B/soul
Sounds like: Equal parts Amy Winehouse and Adele, minus a British accent
Worth checking out: Stronger Than Me (Amy Winehouse cover); Wildfire (SBTRKT cover) [Download “Wildfire” for free]
The ideal setting to play “Midnight Whispers”: If you could get someone to stand around with an iPod and iPod speakers, during the last few moments at the end of a great date. For a less dramatic and more realistic setting, put it on as you’re drinking a nightcap.
With 100,000+ YouTube views of her cover of “Valerie” under her belt, “up-and-coming” feels like an understatement for L.A. native Raquel Rodriguez. In addition to finishing up her B.M. degree at the premier Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, she is currently working on an album and collaborating with hip-hop collective Knocksteady.
“Midnight Whispers” is among the 6 tracks that make up Rodriguez’s self-titled EP. Within the first second of the track, she immediately reels you in with her soulful voice and leads you right through until the piano takes over with some great jazz runs and licks. Though Rodriguez is best in her raw, live form, her recorded tracks are still a close second. Keep an ear out for this one. Better yet, keep both ears out.
The Collabor-eight 