Alt-pop trio We Three release new single 'Secrets'
22 January 2021
Newsdesk
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Possessing timeless songwriting, bold alt-pop productions and highly accomplished musicianship, We Three feel like a special secret for the growing army of fans that have discovered them. With 52 million streams, 114 million video views and support at BBC Radio, the sibling trio are perfectly primed to make a major breakthrough. And how better to achieve that than with arguably their best track to date in the shape of the new single ‘Secrets’? Listen here.
Frontman Manny Humlie beckons you into ‘Secrets’, his haunting and vulnerable vocals backed by the emotional resonance of a plaintive piano. From there it builds skywards, with increasing layers of instrumentation, contemporary production flourishes and tight vocal harmonies contributing to its palpable drama. Manny’s voice rising from calm introspection to a full-throttled falsetto as he explores anxiety and loneliness in the social media age - “Got tonnes of people with me… they’re only on my phone.”
“We all have those secrets that we’ll do anything to keep hidden,” he says. “And no matter how comfortable we get with someone those deep dark secrets are so hard to shine a light on. This song talks about being brave even when you know people will laugh, even though you know people will judge.”
The song was written by We Three and produced by Manny, who co-mixed the track with the Grammy and BRIT Award nominee Steve Chrisanthou (Corrine Bailey Rae, Lianne La Havas).
The song’s concept is further explored in its accompanying video. It plays on the contrasts of how a person can be perceived as how they really feel under the surface, by switching between a foreboding black backdrop and the radiant colour of a ballroom. The band’s charisma is an undeniable highlight, as it also poses the question - what else might they be experiencing behind the mask of a public performance?
‘Secrets’ is launched alongside a club mix from the Grammy winner Bill Zimmerman (Ariana Grande, H.E.R.). Its punchy party vibe provides an engaging counterpoint to the song’s introspective lyrics. Listen to that here.
We Three’s first live performance of ‘Secrets’ will come during ‘Dear Paranoia, A Virtual Show’. The band will play two sets tomorrow live from The Elsinore in Salem, Oregon, the first of which commences at 8pm UK time. Tickets are available here,
Completed by Bethany Blanchard (bass) and Joshua Humlie (keys and drums), We Three originate from Portland. They first performed together in their father’s family band, but stretched themselves individually too, joining jazz groups and local bands while all working as music teachers.
An invitation to compete on America’s Got Talent changed everything. We Three stuck to their guns and focused on playing their own songs, which paid off when ‘Heaven’s Not Too Far’, a tribute to their late mother, made a big impression on judges Simon Cowell and Mel B as well as connecting with fans right across the States and beyond. Their self-titled debut album emerged in 2018, before their sound radically evolved on their second set, last year’s ‘Dear Paranoia, Sincerely, Me’.