Son Little - The Influences

The best thing about this entire project is being able to discover. Forcing myself to discover things; It’s all too easy to hang back and enjoy the pile of records I already own and love. Onder Invloed (The Influences) started as a way to discover music through the influences of my favourite musicians and I’m happy to realize that’s still happening.

Son Little is one of the more recent discoveries for me. The American songwriter Aaron Livingston, a son of a preacher, was born in Los Angeles, moved around a couple of times and ended up in Philadelphia. There, he’s made some guest appearances (with The Roots and RJD2) and produced other artists, like Doe Paoro and Mavis Staples’ Grammy-winning EP Your Good Fortune.

Luckily he’s also been working on his own music, resulting in his latest release: the Son Little LP. It’s a record that speaks volumes about the diversity in Livingston’s influences; from the old blues and soul icons to modern day artists. From Paul McCartney to Kendrick Lamar. His songs are as diverse as his influences, but the records became cohesive nonetheless. Livingston can hear the different places he’s lived in his songs and he doesn’t shy away from political topics, although written from his personal perspective. The LP has very quickly become a personal favourite for me. Anyone who can write a killer song like Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches, is worth my and your attention. This is a musician I’m going to enjoy listening to for a long, long time.

This Wheel’s On Fire (Bob Dylan)