Setting the vibe with percussion, cymbal textures and a pulsing bass line, as electric guitar details emerge, Masha and the Fam open their latest release, What I Want with the lyrics, “Yesterday, you looked at me and said, ‘why don’t you smile for me, it makes you look so nice…'”
The song expands with a funk-rock frequency to deliver an anthem for any woman who has ever experienced street harassment.
Coupled with a music video where front-person Masha Alexis delivers and emotive performance, full of charisma and strength, she sings, “I’m that girl who will say no, don’t act so damn surprised, cause you don’t, you don’t know me…”
The song follows the release of Take My Time, and although fused with horn licks and luscious bass, the song has a clear message where Masha and the Fam are setting their boundaries on being cat-called in the street.
“Hey Baby, is not my name!!!” sings Masha, with vigour, on the track, and going deeper in conversation, she says, “Twice in one week, I was just walking somewhere, and a man stopped me yet again and told me I should smile. I just had enough.”
“I’ve been whistled at, cat-called, grabbed, touched, and all other types of street harassment. Together women and men need to join together and say enough is enough” exclaims the artist passionately as she discussed the inspiration of the song.
The band includes, Masha Alexis (lead vocals and keys), Loren Barnese (guitar), Servio Maldonado (bass), Kyle Dombroski (drums), James Carter (saxophone) and Max Maynard (trumpet) who all deliver a cohesive sonic experience, which is a hybrid of ska, punk, alternative and soul rock with eloquent and polished production, working collaboratively to amplify the message of the song.
We love the instrumental breakdown with the wind instruments atmospherically fused with guitar that leads into the middle-8 and finale of the song, which is gripping and emotive.
What I Want has been added to our New Music Spotlight playlist and we have been also been listening to Masha and the Fam‘s debut single Take My Time.