It’s been a couple of years since LION BABE released their sophomore studio album Cosmic Wind, a well-received project that saw 15 tracks and additional assists from Leikeli47, Raekwon, and Bilal. Since then, the duo consisting of Jillian Hervey and Lucas Goodman have released a new single titled “Can’t Get Enough” and created dope covers of Nelly’s “Hot In Herre” and Mos Def’s “Umi Says.”
This month, LION BABE returns with “Native New Yorker,” another cover of Odyssey’s 70’s disco hit “Native New Yorker” — which is itself a recreation of Frankie Valli’s single of the same name. Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, the song is an ode to carefree women who exist within the Big Apple and its various intricacies:
“You grew up ridin’ the subways, running with people, up in Harlem, down on Broadway, you’re no tramp, but you’re no lady, talkin’ that street talk, you’re the heart & soul of New York City/”
LION BABE’s version of “Native New Yorker” is also featured in a new Michael Kors advertisement campaign for their new fragrance Gorgeous!, which stars model-actress Sara Sampaio and is centered around the song’s message of female confidence, strength, and beauty:
In addition to music drops, last year also saw LION BABE create a 12-show virtual tour — dubbed “Around the World at Home” — which allowed viewers from different locations around the world RSVP based on their specific residence, essentially taking the concept of a “tour” to an entirely new level. Hervey spoke to Forbes on how the idea originally came about:
“We saw the immediate bump in how Instagram Live was changing and that people were really using it much more than they were before…
“You have to always stay on the pulse and say, ‘How can we show what we do with this? How do we fit in?’”
Enjoy LION BABE’s “Native New Yorker” in full below.