Uno Lady, Cleveland’s one-woman orchestra, strikes again with her latest single, “Nature is My Lover,” a tune that follows two other recent singles, “My Ride” and “Erie Serenade.” The singer recorded all the tracks at a Foundation House residency in Greenwich, CT.
“The residency with Foundation House was in a spacious estate in Greenwich, CT,” explains Christa Ebert, who goes by Uno Lady. “They opened their doors for six artists to live there for a few weeks. Inside the mansion were a few artists' studios equipped with tables and easels for visual artists. Near the house were the former stables unoccupied and open. The stables were spacious, and I could be loud without disturbing anyone else, so I chose to set up there. I liked the spaces’ reverb and how the sound transferred into the recordings.”
“Nature is My Lover” is a catchy tune with a swinging melody and meditative background harmonies sprinkled with Lake Erie sounds, Connecticut swamp sparrows and babbling springs from her artist residency in France prior to the Connecticut one. Ebert says that the song is her love song for the planet. It celebrates inter-connectivity and shares ways nature is nurturing. There is an additional content video of a live performance of “Nature is My Lover” on Uno Lady’s Patreon, an American membership platform that provides business tools for content creators to run a subscription service.
“This song was almost lyric-less,” says Ebert. “I sat in the spacious yard, cross-legged in the grass, and reflected on what lyrics would serve the sound. In this pause, I connected my breath with the breeze, felt the wind on my skin, and the sun’s warmth on my face. I was aware of the ways nature brings me joy. I noticed the gifts I receive every day. What a generous and caring experience. Nature is my lover.”
Both “Nature is My Lover” and the fun call-and-response tune "Erie Serenade” feature field recordings as percussion. They both have organic voice layers and include nature sounds. “Erie Serenade” captures sounds from the Lake Erie region and was written for The Well’s Mindful Music Moments program which delivers music and mindfulness daily to schools across the country. “Nature is My Lover” has a simple message and offers a sense of harmony with the natural world.
“I hope the song gets listeners thinking about ways we are nurtured by the natural world,” concludes Ebert. “Reflecting on all nature has provided can hopefully motivate us to return the love. There are infinite ways we can reduce our carbon footprint. Finding sustainable solutions that work best for you can help build a healthy relationship with the Earth. Nature has been really good to us. What have we done to strengthen our connection? If nature was our lover, many people would find themselves in a one-sided relationship. Let's be good to our planet.”
Uno Lady performs for the first time since September on Friday, Feb. 11, at the Grog Shop opening up for Cate Le Bon and Mega Bog.
© 2023 Cleveland Scene
