Lera Shemi is unraveling something with “call you by your namE,” the third chapter of her unfolding concept album You & Me & HER. The Ukrainian-born, LA-based artist zooms in on the simple, intimate, and confrontational act of saying someone’s name out loud. Following the sharper edges of her earlier releases, this track feels like stepping closer to the fire instead of circling it.
Clocking in at just 1:35, “call you by your namE” doesn’t waste a second. It opens with a distorted, gnarly bassline that buzzes under your skin, paired with deep, thumping beats that feel more like a pulse than a rhythm. The whole thing leans into an alt-pop meets electronic grunge aesthetic—gritty, tight, and a little unsettling in the best way.
Then her voice comes in, and that’s where it gets interesting. Lera’s voice is high, grainy, and slightly raspy, repeating, “I like to call you by your name” as if the more she says it, the more she gets to possess the person behind their name. Meanwhile, a vocal layer of hers gasps breathily in the background. It creates this push-pull between control and vulnerability, like she’s both owning the moment and unraveling inside it.
What really stands out, though, is how stripped yet intentional everything feels. You will be impressed knowing that Shemi handled the writing, production, and engineering herself. That just shows she owns every part of the song and every instrument cohesively speaks for her. No wonder, saying a name shouldn’t feel this heavy—but here, it does. Compared to the earlier chapters, this one feels more inward, more personal.
Lera Shemi’s “call you by your namE” doesn’t resolve anything. It lingers, like a thought you keep coming back to, whether you want to or not.
STAY IN TOUCH:
INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | TIKTOK | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
Review by: Naomi Joan