“ego” is the new single from Long Island’s Ava Della Pietra, a five-star musician, songwriter, and singer who has immersed herself in her musical ambitions since her sixth birthday. There are no signs of slowing down in her latest single. If anything, Della Pietra’s artistic growth accelerates and takes a quantum leap with the mature concerns of this particular song.
“ego” revisits Della Pietra’s recent memories of a failed relationship with a man who focused on himself to the exclusion of anyone else. His insincerity finds reflection in how he thinks the relationship improves his social standing amongst his peers rather than sincerely caring for his partner. Heartbreak is never far from the surface of this song, it’s the track’s shadowy companion throughout, but Della Pietra pairs it with more than enough dismissive attitude, as well.
Much of that attitude comes across in the music. It is a song embracing more than one chief sound but each dominant musical motif bristles with strident confidence and a sense of purpose. Pitra crafts a physically engaging arrangement for “ego” that provides an ear-catching vehicle for her indictment of an one-time lover. The song’s music video clip embodies that same confidence. Della Pietra, as a performer, comes across in full command of the moment during the promotional video and the camera takes note of this by following her throughout the vast majority of the footage. She performs the lyrics with a skill level beyond her years.
It has a scattershot intro that sets the stage for all that follows. It’s a three-part duet of sorts between Della Pietra’s voice, occasional bass, and handclap percussion. We’re whisked off from there into a piano-led reverie before the song settles into a fleet-footed groove that carries the bulk of the track. Her voice cuts through all of the instrumentation. It is the song’s guiding force that listeners can tether their attentions to and she unravels the song’s story with emotion and skill.
She provides us with a case study, as well, on how to balance vocal effects with the performance at hand so to keep the listener’s focus on the message. There are no gee-whiz uses of technology present but rather a considered and intelligent use of the tools at hand to enhance an already exemplary vocal. If you stripped away every hint of artifice from Della Pietra’s performance, you’d still have an effective measure of her enormous singing gifts.
“ego” is the latest success in a string of such triumphs for the young singer, musician, and songwriter. Ava Della Pietra has positioned herself as one of pop music’s brightest lights and she burns bolder than ever with her new single. This award-winning vocalist and creative force should remain with us for many years to come. “ego” opens a new chapter in her musical journey that will undoubtedly prove the most enlightening and entertaining yet. If you enjoy emotionally forthright and sonically powerful music, Ava Della Pietra’s art is right up your alley and she lays it on the line for listeners in a way that few modern performers can manage.
Clay Burton