A HOT EYE RECORDS RELEASE 
OFFICIAL ARTWORKTitle: “Love The Way You Lie" feat. Karma
Album: Zodiac Signs
Release Date: July 9, 2021
Length: 3:41 (Minutes:Seconds)
Formats: Digital Download, Streaming
Recorded/Production: October 2020-March 2021; Freenerd Studios Orlando, FL
Genres: R&B
Label: Hot Eye Records
Writers: Zion, Karma
Producers: Daniel The Freenerd, Zion, Karma
"Love The Way You Lie" is the third single off Zion's upcoming studio album "Zodiac Signs"; which is set to be released August 20, 2021 through Hot Eye Records with Freenerd Management serving as an independent imprint. The song is set to be premiere July 9, 2021 as a streaming single and will be made available for digital download/physical purchase on the same day. The song will be the first single off the "Zodiac Signs" album to receive a commercial push/front loaded release as well as impact Top 40 radio; with an impact date of July 9, 2021. The song will be impacting Urban/Adult Contemporary radio on July 14, 2021 respectively. Unlike the previous single "Distance" which received an Apple Music Exclusive premiere; "Lie" will be receiving a Spotify Exclusive premiere as well as receiving features on Spotify's Best New Music and "R&B Song of The Week" playlist. A music video was filmed at Freenerd Studios, Los Angeles California in early June and was Directed by Director X who worked on the previous visual for "Distance" and "Rocketship". His involvement on this music video was greatly increased as a much bigger budget was provided in contrast to the other two music videos. The Music video is set to premiere the same day the song does on MTV in July 9, 2021 at 11:00pm US Eastern time. Due to the music video sensual nature the music video will be aired only during late evenings starting at 11:00pm. As part of the album release, Zion will be performing the song as well as another undisclosed song on Jimmy Kimmel Live late August 2021.
"As far as promotion this is technically the first commercial single and I'm quite excited about that. The first two songs which are very special songs to me were songs to kind of test the water a bit but this is the song that everyone in the studio seemed to gravitate to the most and it also includes a very beautiful lady by the name of Karma. So we are going all out with it some people may think this is my first single but it may also bring more light to my other two songs that maybe people haven't heard." [Zion speaking on the promotion campaign on the single "Love The Way You Lie"]
After signing with Freenerd Management in October 2020, the singer immediately began work on his debut studio album titled "Zodiac Signs". Daniel The Freenerd is serving as executive producer and also enlisted other producers such as The Underdogs, Supa Dups, Di Genius, and Rogues to work on the project. The first single of the project titled "Rocketship" was released in late February serving as an official introduction to the singer. The song received critical acclaim from music critics giving the singer a promising start to his career. Despite no desire to seek commercial success the singer expressed that some songs on the album may be serviced by mainstream radio at some point after the album is released.
Each song on the album will represent a Zodiac Sign with "Distance" being the "Cancer" of the group of songs. The second single "Distance" provided the singer with more a lyrical vocal moment that added a new layer to the singer's artistic abilities. With "Love The Way You Lie"; the song seeks more of a rhythmic and sensual approach. While not as experimental as "Rocketship" and not as stripped as "Distance"; "Love The Way You Lie" serves as an in-between or a bridge to the first two singles released. With "Lie"; upcoming R&B artist Karma is featured as the love interest of the song; serving as the first collaboration/duet of the project.
"This song stays true to R&B but has more of a commercial feel to it that I think at some point I had to touch on with the album; so this is that said moment. I really wanted this song as the follow up to Rocketship but then Distance just came out of nowhere and sort of took over my decision. However, now I feel like this song is kind of marrying the two sounds I was going for with my first two singles and that's something I feel is exciting for R&B music. Showing the versatility in R&B and how much you can stretch it to reach areas that maybe you didn't think you could touch" - [Zion speaking on decision of choosing "Love The Way You Lie" as the third single off "Zodiac Signs"]
ARTWORK The single's artwork was photographed by Leon Divarca who's been proactively working on photographing Zion for his upcoming album "Zodiac Signs". The single artwork features Karma's arm and hand seductively wrapped around Zion's abdominal and crotch area. She's seen grabbing Zion's crotch with her hand in a raunchy like manner.
"The idea of Karma doing that was all hers (laughs). Initially we were both going to do this almost kissing like photo to kind of tease the listeners but she ended up just grabbing my junk and going for it and Leon obviously was able to capture that moment. Before anyone gets their panties in a bunch I approved for Karma to do this before hand and there was a consensual piece right before it happened. We initially thought it was too raunchy and very in your face for the song but then again we were like maybe this will grab's people's eyes and in a way shed some light on what they may listen to. It definitely wasn't something I planned but turned out to be perfect for the visual direction of the song I wanted to take." - Zion
"I immediately though of Janet Jackson's boob grab photo that was really controversial, so I kind of wanted to recreate that moment but in a more daring way. I'm glad Zion didn't take it as some "Me too" movement thing because it was definitely risky but I think the chemistry was there. There was consent but I also felt it was a very unexpected moment that might make people want to take a peek into our world." - Karma
WRITING Writing for "Love The Way You Lie" started back in October when Zion began the writing process for "Zodiac Signs" and met upcoming R&B singer Karma through their management team Freenerd Management. The two shared their passion for R&B music and an urge to give it a revival of some sort in an early conversation they had upon meeting one another. Further into their conversations they had on separate occasions, Zion expressed interest in wanting to work with the singer despite her having no mass recognition in the industry. However, once he heard her vocals during a studio session she was having in that moment; he was convinced they were destined to work together. The two organically began writing a song about how two people obsess over each other due to lust which is disguised as love. Despite love feeling like a lie, the two lovers can't seem to want each other resulting in an unhealthy partnership. A concept they both came up with as they began writing potential lyrics for the song. While the song wasn't written from a personal experience the two newcomers shared together; the song was written with induvial experiences in mind they both shared in their past relationships or dating life respectively. With writing the lyrics the two were able to come up with some of the melodies and hooks that were implemented in the production phase of the song, therefore both Karma and Zion were able to be credited as co-producers of the song. The song's lyrics were final once mixing took place at Daniel The Freenerd's recording studio.
"Love The Way You Lie is really a playful kind of song about lust and how it's disguised as love. Sometimes you lie to yourself because you're that infatuated with the idea of being in love with someone when in return it all turns out to be a big lie but then there comes the confusion that you think you really do love the person once the breakup happens so you try to make it work but only to make more things complicated. That's why this whole lie song is about and I think we've all or at least most of us have been in a situation like that or even something similar to it. Bringing the female perspective into it is also really cool because you get both sides of the story or you get to feel the song differently in certain parts. In the end it comes together as what I think is a great collaboration" - Zion King
"Bringing the female perspective to this song felt really empowering because this kind of thing happens to us to. Love isn't always this pretty perfect thing that fairy tales like to make it out to be. There's complicated situations like this one where you feel like you want love with someone but at the end of they day they are just a booty call. I think as far as writing, our chemistry was so great we understood each other and our egos didn't get in the way of our songwriting, be undestood the male and female perspective in this song and allowed each other to shine"- Karma
PRODUCTIONThe song was produced by Daniel The Freenerd at Freenerd Studios Orlando, FL; with Zion King and Karma serving as co-producers due to their involvement with the hook and melodies of the song's which were initially developed during the songwriting stage of the song. The song was purely engineered by Daniel The Freenerd over the course of 4 months.
The song's production is heavily carried by a continuous guitar riff and slow burning beat. The beat was engineered by Daniel to give the song a more rhythmic R&B/pop approach which is a new direction Zion hadn't taken with previously recorded tracks. While the vibe of the song feels very laid back; the song has moments where the beat and the strength of the singer's vocals build up with base and pop beats that normally wouldn't be heard in R&B songs. The vocals in the songs are both relaxed but somewhat elevated by Karma who seems to have more high note vocal moments thn Zion but the two build powerful bridge once they both start interchanging vocals eventually marrying them together in the final bridge.
"I knew this song would feel special to Zion and Karma because they both wrote it together and it truly came out organically which was exciting coming into it from a production perspective. Bringing the song to life in terms of sound didn't feel like a challenge and it was very fun to create this record. So even though it feels big, it was probably one of the most easiest collaborations I ever produced because the chemistry between Zion and Karma was definitely there and didn't need much guidance. I think Zion's vocals brings this gritty vibe; while Karma brings more of a feisty fierce take on with hers. The song almost feels like a pop acoustic take on R&B; which I think is refreshing to radio and urban formats." - Daniel The Freenerd
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE FEAT. KARMA LYRICS Zion:
Girls like you are so hard to find mmm
Cause only you know how to mess with my mind
you're the type of cat and mouse chase I can get behind
cause playing hard to get only pleases my mind
Seems like you like to play games
little did you know I'm doing the same
Your punishments starting to feel like rewards
Break up with me then we make love afterwards
Karma:
Was initially looking for my eternity
but once I learned love leads to misery
Started to leave my love as a mystery
Don't know if it's bad or good
but the way you've got a hold on me
got's me all confused
feels like I can almost fail
and if its real why does this love stay on display
like its up for sale
It gets harder,
Every time I try to leave you pull me farther
Close to you
And I’m running out of things to say
Say to you
cause I love the way you lie
fucking with my heart and mind
I still love way you lie (it's a Scorpio thing)
Zion:
A catastrophe disguised as a fairytale
supported by all of the lies that you tell
baby quit playing these games
you in it for the fame?
You’ve only got yourself to blame
I know you a different kind of breed
got me planting seeds inside you baby
on some grown man shit
you the type I want to wife and make kids with
know that this shit’s for life
I have no reason to lie
and if its real why does this love stay on display
like its up for sale
and if its real why do I love way you lie
not gonna let this feeling lie
Zion & Karma:
A catastrophe disguised as a fairytale
supported by all of the lies that you tell
baby quit playing these games
you in it for the fame?
You’ve only got yourself to blame
I know you a different kind of breed
got me planting seeds inside you baby
on some grown man shit
you the type I want to wife and make kids with
know that this shit’s for life
I have no reason to lie
and if its real why does this love stay on display
like its up for sale
and if its real why do I love way you lie
not gonna let this feeling lie
Zion & Karma:
Was initially looking for my eternity
but once I learned love leads to misery
Started to leave my love as a mystery
Don't know if it's bad or good
but the way you've got a hold on me
got's me all confused
feels like I can almost fail
and if its real why does this love stay on display
like its up for sale
It gets harder,
Every time I try to leave you pull me farther
Close to you
And I’m running out of things to say
Say to you
cause I love the way you lie
fucking with my heart and mind (it's a Scorpio thing)
[Spoken; Zion]
It’s a Scorpio thing
[Soft Spoken; Karma]
It’s Karma baby
sounds like:
OOC: Decided to post this early, as I may not have access to my personal computer tomorrow (The original intended post date) where I store/access my RPs :)
