Our Masquerade is reminiscent of old-school jazz ballads, speaking on being true to yourself and giving yourself time to grow. Not everything is within your control, and it’s okay to let go of that. Lyrically, Our Masquerade stays in pretty safe territory, but the simplistic, pared-back lines make way for the instrumentation of the piece, letting the harmonies of the two artists sit in the mix, their voices blending beautifully. The piano line is a subtle but lovely accompaniment to the piece, and the drums accent the rhythms of the melodies seamlessly. I would love to see both of these acts continue down the jazz and soul path, as it fits their voices so well.
This slow song encourages a slow outlook on life and is best listened to with a warm cup of tea on a sunny winter morning. This particular collaboration is one to keep an eye on, as Just Monet and Will Luhrs let down their masquerade, and showed us the potential to become an incredibly tight act.
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Will Luhrs is a 17-year-old singer/songwriter and producer. With a foundation of years of choral training and classical piano tuition, Will developed a passion for contemporary music. Currently, he is a student attending the SMP Jazz Program at Burnside High School in Christchurch, NZ, where he focuses on singing, songwriting, and producing his own music.
At the age of 14, Will wrote his debut EP, If All I've Got Is Love, from his bedroom. The EP featured the song With You, which accumulated over 100,000 streams and was even featured on Jesse Mulligan's afternoon show. However, Will decided to remove his music from streaming platforms to concentrate on delivering higher-quality work.
Will's first official release, Our Masquerade, was composed and recorded with his close friend Just Monet in January 2023. The song was officially released on May 12th, 2023. Since then, Our Masquerade has received multiple plays on Radio New Zealand and has been featured and reviewed in several publications such as Muzic.net.nz.