Kohla is the project of Rachel Alice Johnson, a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician with a classical background. Not too long ago, she released a lovely music video for her “Lovebites” single with Popgirlz Scotland.
Kohla – “Lovebites” music video
“‘Lovebites’ was written in a stream-of-consciousness style upon seeing a photo of an ex on Instagram. We parted ways amicably, with him citing he wasn’t in a good place mentally. However, the photo I saw presented him smiling and socializing with friends. It made me question – had he lied to me? Or was this just for social validation? In hindsight, probably both. Thematically, ‘Lovebites’ explores my journey of spirituality and self-care to repair from heartbreak: I meditate, take a walk find me upstream. In waterfalls I will bathe ’til I’m Holy. Back to my roots, I pray to be happy.” – Kohla explained
‘Lovebites’ finds Kohla wishing for her ex-partner to come back home. She wants him to spend the night with her in her bedroom because she’s lonely. Every night, she views pictures of him having fun and socializing. It’s like a recurring bad dream. What the pictures can’t show her, she wants to know. Later, she assumes, “Right about now, you’ll be dancing in the moonlight. And you’ll kiss her neck and say her body tastes like paradise. Your lovebites blue. I miss them too.” She’s never felt this type of hurt before.
‘Lovebites’ contains pleasing vocals and a sad narrative that will resonate well with anyone who misses their significant other but can’t explain why they feel that way. The emotional tune also possesses lyrical themes of inner healing, heartbreak, and spirituality, built upon a backbone of orchestral soul and chill instrumentation flavored with alternative and indie-pop elements. Furthermore, “Lovebites” is the lead single from Kohla’s upcoming debut album, entitled, “Romance,” available on September 8th, 2023.
“What did you do tonight to be happy?”
“I felt as though I was healing in an extremely healthy way – connecting with nature, reading, and going to bed at 9 pm on the weekends. However, it crushed me to imagine my ex was out ‘dancing in the moonlight’ and giving other girls love bites. I suppose even with inner work, loneliness is very much still present. There will always be a part of me that wonders what my ex-lovers are up to.
Sonically, I was inspired by romantic orchestral soul (Sam Cooke, Etta James) to give an organic backbone to the song. I worked with my creative partner Dave Lloyd (Stillhound) to modernize the production, layering forward-thinking chilled beats akin to Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey, and Maggie Rogers. I’m really proud of the honesty of ‘Lovebites’ and I hope listeners will relate to its vulnerability and emotion. It’s my favorite song.” – Kohla explained
Kohla is an interdisciplinary artist and a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art. She is also the founder of Popgirlz Scotland, a support group for women in music, and lectures about feminism at international universities. Kohla will be celebrating her album release with a full-band performance on September 9th at Sneaky Pete’s Edinburgh.
“We’ve been down this road before.”
We recommend adding Kohla’s “Lovebites” single to your favorite indie-pop playlist. Also, let us know how you feel in the comment section below. Mel Blanc’s famous catchphrase, That’s All Folks! Thanks for reading another great article on Bong Mines Entertainment – the hot spot for new music and entertainment news. Always remember that (P) Positive, (E) Energy, (A) Always, (C) Creates, (E) Elevation (P.E.A.C.E). Contact us on social media via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook, and let us know what’s going on. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter, purchase our merchandise, and become a Patron of Bong Mines Entertainment. Disclaimer: This post contains Apple Music affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link on this page, we will collect a small share of the sales. That little compensation will be used towards keeping this website up and running.