Song Title: “Legends Never Die”
Taken from
EP: Prelude
Release Date: December 10, 2021
Length: 4:01 (Original) ; 3:46 (Radio Edit)
Formats: Digital Download, Streaming, Radio Airplay, CD, Cassette
Recorded/Production: August 2020; New York City, New York and Los Angeles, CA (Freenerd Studios)
Genres: Pop, Soul, Gospel
Label: Hot Eye Records
Writer: Stephanie Fierce
Producer: Stephanie Fierce
"Legends Never Die" is a new song off Stephanie Fierce's upcoming extended play "Prelude" set to premiere on December 10, 2021, on all streaming platforms/digital outlets under the record label Hot Eye Records. A censored; shortened version of “LND” (song) will be serviced to Top 40 Radio starting on December 17, 2021. The song was handpicked as a promotional song off the Extended Play “Prelude”; which is set to be released on December 25, 2021. The song was solely written and produced by Stephanie Fierce at her home recording studio in New York. The song will also coincide with the release of a short musical film titled “Prelude”; the short film will feature the song in its entirety and a shorter version of the film will serve as a short form music video for the song. “Legends Never Die” will also become the first song in Fierce’s discography that will become available on cassette. Out of the 5,000 cassettes being sold, only 500 signed cassettes will become available for purchase as a limited release and can only be purchased through
www.stephaniefierce.com . The packaging will also include a personal letter from Stephanie Fierce. All sales profits made from the cassette sales will be donated to charity which would equal to about $50,000 dollars.
With a highly publicized death hoax orchestrated by her sister Fierce turned herself into a mental health facility where she would be discharged 30 days later. After discharging herself from the facility Fierce began work on her 10th studio album which she named in response to critics. Fierce also penned a letter to fans advising them that she’s seeking healing and that music has been her form to heal. “Legends Never Die” became the first song written for the album, but Fierce felt the song was too personal and emotional to fit the theme and vibe off the album. With that came the idea of making an introductory EP titled “Prelude”; which will feature the more emotional tracks.
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“I want my fans to hear this song on any kind of format of their choosing. I’m more behind the idea of a fan listening to a song of mine on a cassette or a-side/b-side than on some streaming service. There’s a level of attachment you develop, and I miss that excitement from back in the days when you had to hurry to the store to buy an LP, CD before they sold out. All of the money made from these cassettes will be donated to a charity of my choosing, I just thought it would be a cool idea to pay homage to an era of music retail with this packaging” -
[Stephanie Fierce on the packaging of
“Legends Never Die”]
Cassette Track-list: Side A: 1. Legends Never Die
Side B: 1. Instrumental 2. Demo Version (Signed Copy only)
CD Track-list: 1. Legends Never Die
2. Legends Never Die (Instrumental)
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Background, Lyrics, and Inspiration The song also saw Fierce take on a new direction with music. While Fierce touched on the genre of Gospel with a previous song released in the death hoax era, never to her approval, Fierce revisited the genre considering the themes the song would illustrate in the visual that would be produced. Without the assistance of complex sound engineering experts and skilled musicians, Fierce saw a challenge with keeping the gospel undertones as preserve the genre as much as possible without taking away the pop/soul nature of the song and keeping things “interesting”.
“Coming off a highly polished electronic dance pop era of music, I wanted to shift the dynamic of my sound and really do a 180 with it. I kind of wanted to figure this sound all out on my own. That’s honestly what I’ve always done with each of my albums. Each era is always different from the next. However, I didn’t really think about just being different, I was more thinking that it’s important to connect with my audience on a more personal level and this song does that. Sometimes you must strip everything and sing from your heart and let that be a music moment. But how do you keep it interesting at the same time? I wasn’t thinking about that this time. I hate feeling like a machine where my music just becomes sanitized for radio stations, however I never would think that around this time of my career I would touch on gospel. I was almost scared because I feel that is such a sacred genre of music. Stephanie Fierce doing gospel? What the hell is she thinking. But I think that I made it my own and at the end that’s what’s important. This isn’t just a gospel song; this is a Stephanie Fierce gospel song.” –
[Stephanie Fierce on the background and inspiration of
“Legends Never Die”]
The song is ultimately about seeking forgiveness on a person that deeply hurt you. Though her name isn’t mentioned, Fierce is talking about her sister Jennifer Rios. Fierce touches on being held hostage in a room by her sister and industry politic with not being able to see to see the sun and being used to sell records. The song takes a deeper turn lyrically when Fierce opens about her atheism and doubts of religion. “And maybe I don’t believe in God, and maybe I haven’t been to church, can’t even remember the last time I’ve gone”. However, the song’s lyrics isn’t just placing blame on others, Fierce takes ownership that she isn’t perfect herself and that she is what she calls “beautifully broken”. Lastly, Fierce details the time she put a gun to her head and tried to take her own life. Fierce had a full circle when she thought of her mother and realized that she is a mother herself. That moment ultimately would go on to save her life.
“This song kind of poured out of me lyrically. I wasn’t really thinking of a beat or where the song would land on the chords. I wasn’t really searching for the lyrics; the lyrics just came out of me. I think that’s always special because it means that it’s very real. That sort of scared me because here I am writing a song about suicide and religion and I think to myself, this is not the song that my label would want me to release for a pop album. It goes against the rules of practically any mainstream platform. However, the moment was so real for me I couldn’t really clean it up. I had to keep it the way it was for the record. At the same time, I did want this song to mean something to the record I was creating and get some play on radio because that’s a huge component for me. I knew that writing and recording this song was not very conventional because there’s always truth to my lyrics, but it’s never been to this extent. Cleaning it up for radio does take away from it but I still wanted people to hear the song as they randomly drove down thinking about life maybe.” -
[Stephanie Fierce on the lyrics of
“Legends Never Die”]
Due to the song’s lyrics and content; an edited clean version of the song will be played by radio stations. Removing all lyrics from the bridge all together but instead replacing it with an instrumental build up. The F6 note is also removed from the radio version and replaced with background vocalist harmonizing.
Production and Composition While the song was originally written against a scale folk guitar, Fierce then transitioned the song to piano before it went into production for chord shaping and postproduction. The song was then furthered developed at Free Nerd Studios in Los Angeles, CA for the use of a sound stage to produce the song’s more orchestral sections. The sound stage used to produce the song’s orchestral production, featured backing vocalist, drums. choirs, strings, violins, viola, cello, and various other instruments. The song also contains gospel undertones that were heavily influenced by the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of Saint John the Baptist church.
“It was important for me to include various instruments and keep the focus on the music, especially with the heavy topics being sung. I know that when I started writing this song it was on guitar and I know that the version that originally written was less dramatic in sound, so that version will always kind of stay in a special place in my heart but I definitely understood that people needed to somewhat feel what I was feeling and that’s where all of these instruments and they way they are played comes to play. I didn’t just want to dive in, I wanted there to be a special build up. The production is not conventional in that sense because most songs have slow tempo that carries throughout the song but midway you find this key change that takes the song to a whole new level. That’s not how the original version of this song “Beautifully Broken” was supposed to go.”.
[Stephanie Fierce on the production and composition of
“Legends Never Die”]
The song starts off with soften and slower piano chords played by Fierce, as Fierce’s vocals flow along warmly. During the first verse you hear Fierce in an almost exhausted manner; almost as she’s fighting through the lyrics. The piano continues picking up as her voice grows more defined and confident. In this moment Fierce starts to show more of her range; while keeping calm in some moments, most of the vocal moments continue to grow more dramatic. During the second verse, violins and other instruments start to join on the dominant production of the piano. Fierce’s vocals become more emotional as you hear forms of anger and spite from her voice, but it quickly diverts to the saddened emotion she has overall in the song. As the bridge of the song approaches, Fierce’s vocals pick up with a growl as the song is now met with a dramatic change in key which is more upbeat and supported by backing vocals provided from a distanced choir. An orchestra of instruments is also heard backing the production, giving the song’s earlier slow tempo a dramatic turn. As the bridge takes place, Fierce is heard at her most emotional point, singing words about suicide you can hear Fierce singing through her tears as she builds up the bridge to land a long F6 whistle note. A note Fierce has always avoided due to her dislike of whistle notes. The song continuous with it’s triumphant sound as it comes to an end with Fierce singing through her crying, while the production quiets down to just piano. The song ends with a long key produced by the piano.
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The song and music video were sent out early for NME and Billboard to review before the song's premiere.
Stephanie Fierce wanted an honest unbiased review from the publishers but the song and visual were met
with critical acclaim and have noted the song as a big career moment.
NME’s Review: “Legends Never Die” finds Stephanie Fierce separating the fierce pop persona with her real life one. I’d like to compare this moment and say that this is simply Fierce’s 'Johnny Cash Hurt moment' when it comes to the timing. At the edge of releasing her tenth studio album, we find the singer still evolving in her lyrics and approach to music. Instead of a guitar we find a piano leading the scorned sounding vocals. Stephanie takes the “turn your pain into art” concept to a whole new level with a note we’ve never heard her touch before. The highly avoided F6 whistle note. A F6, or what we like to call, when I singer wants to say Fuck You 6 times. Typically, an F6 is clean but in this song, you can hear the scream and agony in the note which may shock listeners and bring out deeper emotions. While her innovative “Free” album touched on depression and suicide, it was all based on a persona portrayed by the singer. For the first time we hear Stephanie Fierce sing from her heart and open about her personal life that played out amongst us in the media. While the visual gives us fantasy, the song stands good all on its own at painting the picture.
4/5 Stars - Rhy Buchnan of NME (Music Critic)
Billboard Review: One thing is for certain Fierce knows how to capture an audience with her lead singles but this one hit different. Fierce has shook the table by not following a safe roadmap with songs like “Suffer (Crucifixion of an Innocent)”, “Dying in The Airwaves”, “Bless Me” all which landed #1 on the singles charts. This song however finds a medium between being a pop ballad and something experimental. It’s just simply just not the direction we were expecting. Stripping everything down we hear Fierce belt through a monster piano ballad that will make you believe you’re playing a fancy piano yourself. Despite the song drawing inspiration from Gospel music, for the first time we hear Fierce boldly open about her atheism, and we hear talk about wanting to take her own life. While the topic of suicided is something that's considered avoidable in most pop artists catalogs, Fierce wasn't shy about opening up about her experience. These are real life experiences that pop music tends to avoid because it breaks all the rules of wanting a hit but I feel it's important to talk about. Sometimes vulnerability pays off and this time it did for Fierce. While this song does leave us wondering if Fierce is truly on the road to forgiveness and healing we appreciate the honesty and creativity that came with talking about a situation that was far beyond just real.".
9/10 - Rebecca Jones of Billboard (Music Critic)
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Legends Never Die (Lyrics) Stuck in a time I used to rule
but you told me life can be so cruel
Oh well I guess you've had your fun
So many days since I'd last seen the sun
I missed the sunrise in the morning
While the world spend their days mourning
You locked me away so no one could tell
Drank my own tears, I built my own well
you made me a prison in my own cell
only kept me alive just so I could sell
I'm not as weak as the lies and stories you tell
cause I'm just beautifully broken-broken
shamed but never unspoken-spoken
You broke me piece to piece
almost made me believe
I was just broken
Might be ashamed of some of the things I've done
And maybe I don’t believe in God
And maybe I haven’t been to church
Can’t even remember the last time I’ve gone
I never claimed to be a saint myself
But you aren't so perfect yourself
You should be ashamed of some of the things you’ve done
Though you hide it so well
like a sunset at dawn
I tried to learn the meaning of forgiveness
but instead, I learned bitterness
You tried to erase my creativity
put a cavity in my artistry
then erase my legacy
You thought I would be a tragedy
and you thought I would be gone
You locked me away so no one could tell
Drank my own tears, I built my own well
you made me a prison in my own cell
only kept me alive just so I could sell
I'm not as weak as you've tried to tell.
[KEY CHANGE; UPBEAT and Backing Vocals]
cause I'm just beautifully broken-broken
shamed but never unspoken-spoken
You broke me piece to piece
almost made me believe
I was just broken
Today I wished I wasn't alive
most days I would go ahead and give up the fight
put a gun straight to my head,
but bullets kept coming out dry
a beatless heart but a soul that couldn't fly
but Mom said, you were born a queen (and that queen you'll be)
cause legends never die
AH!
cause I'm just beautifully broken-broken
shamed but never unspoken-spoken
You broke me piece to piece
almost made me believe
broken”
Written by Stephanie Fierce Sounds Like:
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Music Video Title: “Legends Never Die”; Taken from “Prelude” (Short Film)
Directed by: Chris Cunningham
Produced by: Chris Cunningham, Stephanie Fierce
Written by: Daniel The Freenerd, Stephanie Fierce
Short Form Music Video Length: 5:07
Shooting Locations: San Juan, Puerto Rico and Los Angeles, CA.
Budget: $3,580,000
PROVIDED BY YOTUBE/VEVOThe music video for “Legends Never Die” is a short form version of Prelude which is a 2021 music short film directed by Chris Cunningham and produced by both Stephanie Fierce and Cunningham respectively. The short film was also primarily written by Stephanie Fierce with additions from Daniel The Freenerd. The film focuses on Fierce's resurgence from her disappearance and death hoax orchestrated by her sister Jennifer Rios. In the film, Fierce is seen confronting her most inner personal demons to find forgiveness for her sister. Topics such as suicide, atheism, forgiveness, and music industry politics are focused on in the film and are illustrated through artistic performance.
The film inspired an Extended Play of the same name which is set to be released December 25, 2021. The song “Legends Never Die” is included in the short film as a short form music video. The song also serves as an introduction to the new album “Legends Never Die” which is set to be released February 14, 2022.
“Fierce has leaned on me for many projects in the past and every time we work together it's always something different. Our magic really started during the "Free" era, which is the album that people saw Fierce really reinvent herself. However, after experiencing what I consider one of the most traumatic moments of her career, Fierce approached me about making a short film of some sort to kind of illustrate her pain and suffering but in a more authentic way. She mentioned that there are two albums that she is creating, and one leans more on the personal human side (turned out to be an EP) and the other that leans more on the pop music persona. I really feel that this film will show you the differences". - [Chris Cunningham on the short film
“Prelude”]
Cast: Stephanie Fierce
as Stephanie Fierce.
Stephanie Fierce
as Stephy FierceHelle
as Helle.
Aside from Stephanie Fierce, her daughter and her alter-ego "Stephy Fierce" who makes a brief appearance
there aren't any other main characters that make an appearance in the music video that will appear in
the full length short film "Prelude".
Plot: A scorned singer returns to church to confess her deepest personal thoughts and confront her personal demons to find forgiveness, healing, and closure with her sister Jennifer Rios. Despite denouncing her religious beliefs, the singer looks to God for help with prayer. In result, a darker and more evil version of Stephanie Fierce is summoned known as Stephy Fierce.
Location: Various locations were considered for the filming of Prelude; more specifically with the “Legends Never Die” but ultimately most scenes were shot in a personalized physical set at Freenerd Studios located in Los Angeles, California. However, many of the outside scenes were primarily shot at Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of Saint John the Baptist located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The building is considered the oldest church/cathedral on US soil. Various sets were built, including the inside of a church, a recording studio, and a life size ocean environment. Some scenes were filmed in some unnamed streets of Rio Piedras. Puerto Rico.
“The last time I went to church was at Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of Saint John the Baptist with my mother, so I wanted this location to be the church I returned to for the “Legends Never Die” piece, but the recording studio represents me working all of my life and career and in sense being a “one man band. The ocean is just a representation of all of the tears I’ve cried and all of the bitter people in my life who have symbolically tried to drown me.”.
Special Effects: While most of the film is shot with authentic IMAX film; the short form music video section of film features modern CGI effects that were produced by Chris Cunningham during postproduction that involved 3D sculptures of Fierce’s many expressions. Fierce’s face was duplicated on clay to create different set of emotions placed on the scene where Fierce would be battling her own inner demons which is artistically illustrated by said CGI effects. Other effects were used to show multiple Stephanie Fierce in one room playing various instruments.
Music Video; Scene by Scene Description: The music video opens with a dialogue narrated by Stephanie Fierce. With aerial views, she’s seen floating atop what looks like an ocean. She begins to softly speak as the camera focuses on her and moves closer to her body.
“They say a baptized heart is a forgiven heart. So, I lay here floating in water, waiting for my baptism. Somehow, I can’t sink. Is it because I’m floating on the salt of my tears or is it because no man in this world has enough bitterness to sink me. I wait for the power of forgiveness, and if it’s in me to forgive, lord please let me drown”.
As the camera moves closer to the body of Stephanie Fierce. The scene cuts to black. The letters “Legends Never Die” are now briefly displayed on the black screen. As the scene returns, flowers are now seen floating atop the ocean water with Fierce no longer seen.
The scene then transitions to a local church area near the ocean. The black and white scene now shows the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of Saint John the Baptist in closer view. Fierce is seen walking inside of it, wearing all black attire. She is seen walking towards the altar with a defeated look in her face. As she reaches the alter she kneels and begins her prayer while her face is put in focus.
The Prayer:
"It is true, as I sit here on my knees, I still say I don't believe in Christianity. Forgive me if it’s all real. Since today I haven't been to church in over 20 years. I’m searching for light, please God, place forgiveness in my heart and in my soul. Take this anger out of me God. If you are real, please heal me”.
As the prayer comes to a finish, the church which was previously filled with people is now seen empty. Close up shots of statues of Jesus Christ nailed on a cross and Virgin Mary are seen. Fierce is now seen in what seems to look like a recording studio which hypothetically is what Fierce considers her “church”. This recording room is filled with fine wooden architecture and almost looks dream like. A stunning black Steinway Model grand piano is displayed, and she’s seen sitting down on it. She begins to touch the keys on the piano as “Legends Never Die” begins to play and the music video officially begins.
Fierce is now seen in a white cut out see through dress. As she plays the piano, she’s seen singing passionately with her eyes closed while her head is tilting side to side as she feels out the lyrics of the song. The simplicity of this scene shows Fierce’s more human side instead of the pop start persona side. Her face is not so done up with make up like the other scenes and her natural bone structure and face are beautifully displayed.
The scene continues as the camera slowly moves around the singer in her most vulnerable state. The camera continuously shows Fierce playing the chords to the song and as the song comes to its build up, the studio room starts to become alive as other instruments are shown playing on their own, one by one. Stephanie becomes a “one man band” as she’s duplicated and shown playing every single instrument of the song. During the bridge of the song; Fierce is seen smashing the keys as multiple versions of herself come out of her neck and begin to taunt her. This scene represents Fierce fighting her inner demons. She continues as she begins to place her hands on her head fighting them to stop but they continue to bother her as she tries to get through the song. Right before Fierce hits the F6 note, a gun suddenly appears in her hand. Almost shocked to see it in her hand, she freezes.
The song is cut off in silence as the music video returns to the scene of Fierce floating atop of the ocean. Ocean waves are heard briefly as Fierce is now displayed on the screen, picking petals off a flower. With just a few petals left, Fierce is heard saying:
“Forgive.” Fierce says as she plucks off a petal.
“Don’t Forgive” Fierce says as she plucks off another petal.
“Forgive.” Fierce says as plucks off yet another petal.
“Don’t Forgive” Fierce says as she plucks off the last petal from the flower.
“Don’t Forgive” Fierce says once more as she looks into the camera with a tear falling down her cheek.
The scene then returns to recording studio room where she was seen playing the piano; the song continues where it originally left off. This time she’s seen holding the gun to her head and as she screams out the “F6” note, no bullets come out. In result, the gun disappears as her daughter Helle is seen in her arms hugging her arm and comforting her.
As the song comes to an end, heavy breathing is heard and Fierce is seen back in the church altar. This time she’s seen as what she appears to be dead in a casket. The letters on the casket read “Back in the days”. A thumping sound is heard from a far distance, the thumping growing louder and louder, a woman disguised in a sexy nun attire is seen briefly, putting a cassette into a radio that reads “Revenge”. The first 14 seconds of “Back in the Days” is heard before the song and the music video cut off and fade to black.
“It’s a little too late for forgiveness; Revenge is engraved in my heart” the voice of Stephy Fierce is heard and the music video closes to an end as 3 gun shots are heard.
TO BE CONTINUED.
