After this initial success with this first EP, Lelia began work on the new project (lil-yah) (also the proper pronunciation of her first name) which shows Lelia’s versatility as a vocalist, diverse songwriter, and producer. At the same time, she made her first appearance at the legendary Bitter End in NYC (where she is a regular featured artist), and was immediately embraced and continues to be strongly supported by owner Kenny Gorka. “I knew right away there was something very special about Lelia.” From her most recent appearance in NYC: “It was apparent once again that Lelia does not perform; she inhabits her music. Each song emerges from her as if she is suddenly compelled to tell its story or release its feelings. No movement seems calculated; no gesture planned. The result is an exhibition of musical integrity that would make any venue, large or small, feel intimate.” says Robbie Merkin, critically acclaimed composer.
(lil-yah) shows the diverse spectrum of Broussard's writing styles. Influenced by the music of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, and others in that genre, Lelia knew she wanted her album to have an old soulful vibe, but with a new pop flair. Moving from jazz to soul, and even hip-hop, Broussard shows a mature understanding of her many influences without ever sounding forced. Recorded with an unrivaled group of musicians, this first rate group of seasoned pros quickly discovered that this would not be "another recording session" as they came to learn and appreciate Lelia's music. "It's scary how talented the young lady is. I couldn't believe the sound coming from this petite little thing. We were all blown away by her," says Jef Lee Johnson (Mariah Carey, Billy Joel). “Lelia is a creative genius” says Joel Bryant, (Harry Connick Jr, Aretha Franklin). Chico Huff (James Taylor) says, "Lelia seems to already have a strong musical vision and great love for music that comes across tenfold. Her singing and writing are very fresh and contemporary to my ears without being derivative.
On putting (lil-yah) into a genre, Lelia says it best when she explains, "People are hearing the CD and saying, 'wow, you have all these different types of music on one CD- jazz, pop, rock, blues, rap, R&B, how do you even classify yourself? My answer is not any one genre is more me than the other. My goal is to be a diverse artist and performer that does many styles equally well.”
Lelia recently went back into the studio to make some improvements on the CD and will re-release it in the Spring of 2007 re-titled as “Rise”. This remixed and re-mastered CD has the addition of a couple of new tracks, and new vocals and arrangements on others. The title song, “Rise” has already been picked up by the MTV show “The Hills”. Lelia recently completed a national tour for the Heinz Corporation’s TGIFriday/Wal Mart Tour where she headlined along with major label artists.
What’s next for Lelia? “Well, I am continuing to grow my fan base by touring in and around the Philadelphia and New York areas, where I recently moved and back home in Louisiana. I’ve also recently started doing some co-writing with Rob Fusari, and I love the direction my songs are taking. And I’m going to be in LA early this year doing some co-writing with various songwriters, so it’s a busy time for me. I’ve remained an independent artist by choice, because I always felt it would be better for the longevity of my career if I stayed independent while I was so young. I think I have proven that I am a serious musician and songwriter, not a flavor of the month, but someone with musical integrity, at least that’s my goal . . . now that I’m a little older, I’m ready to move on to the next level of my career.”
Philadelphia Magazine, in a feature article on Lelia, speculated about her being “the next big thing”. Is she? Listen and we think you just might agree.
Armor on my Heart
Lelia Broussard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I told you the coast was clear
You would do it all again
I′ve got a sour taste left in my mouth
You're a stain that bleach don′t wanna fix
I don't cry too much these days
I don't have to lie when I say
Honey I don′t love you anymore
I still wear my battle scars
Like armor on my heart
But we′ve gone too far
And I can't love you anymore
I almost drowned inside your house
I almost lost myself inside of you
You make it easy to never turn back
I don′t wanna live like that like that
I don't cry too much these days
I don′t have to lie when I say
Honey I don't love you anymore
I still wear my battle scars
Like armor on my heart
But we′ve gone too far
And I can't love you anymore
You never made it easy on me
It's been almost a year and I keep lookin back
It′s been some time and I keep lookin back
Lookin back
I don′t cry too much these days
I don't have to lie when I say
Honey I don′t love you anymore
I still wear my battle scars
Like armor on my heart
But we've gone too far
And I can′t love you anymore
The lyrics of "Armor on my Heart" by Lelia Broussard suggest a relationship that has ended badly. The singer feels like their former lover took all they could and more, leaving a sour taste in their mouth. They see their ex as a stain that can't be removed, something that bleach can't fix, and they wear the memories of the relationship as a kind of armor on their heart. The singer almost lost themselves inside the relationship, but eventually was able to regain their sense of self and leave.
The singer insists they don't cry much anymore and they don't have to lie when they say they don't love their ex anymore. The memories of the relationship are painful, but they are also a reminder of how much the singer has grown and how much they have overcome. The lyrics suggest that the singer has emerged from the relationship stronger, and while they may still feel the lingering effects of it, their armor protects them from getting hurt again.
Line by Line Meaning
Took all you could and then some more
You took more than enough from me, and even went beyond my limits
If I told you the coast was clear
You would do everything again, even if I say it is safe and okay
You're a stain that bleach don't wanna fix
You are a permanent mark that cannot be removed even by bleach
I′ve got a sour taste left in my mouth
I still feel bitter and unhappy about what happened between us
I still wear my battle scars
I still carry the emotional wounds caused by our past
We’ve gone too far
Our relationship has reached its limit and cannot continue
Honey I don't love you anymore
I have come to the realization that I no longer have feelings of love towards you
I almost drowned inside your house
I was drowning emotionally while being in a relationship with you
You make it easy to never turn back
You made it so I don't ever have the desire to go back to our past
I don’t wanna live like that
I don't want to live under those conditions anymore
You never made it easy on me
You never made our relationship an easy one for me
It’s been almost a year and I keep lookin back
Even after a significant amount of time, I still reflect on our past
I don’t have to lie when I say
I am truthful when I declare that...
And I can’t love you anymore
I am no longer capable of loving you the way that you deserve
Writer(s): Lelia Broussard
Contributed by Lillian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.