While the world takes a breather for the holidays, Lea Michele is busily preparing for her pop takeover.
Earlier this month, the Glee starlet dropped her debut pop solo single “Cannonball,” a Sia, Benny Blanco and Stargate-crafted, striding self-empowerment ballad. It was a solid way to kick off the Louder campaign — although, admittedly, the song does play more like a Glee cover of a Sia song than an original tune.
With no time to waste before the album’s February release date, Miss Michele’s just premiered the second song off of her upcoming debut (as a pre-ordering incentive) — a piano-led break-up ballad called “Battlefield.”
Once again penned by Sia (who wrote about one-third of Lea’s debut album, FYI) as well as prolific composer and pianist (who, most importantly, played piano on Legendtina‘s Bionic), the song relies solely on a haunting piano melody and Lea’s capable, well-trained chops to carry out the emotion of the track.
Unlike the theatrically over-enunciated “Cannonball” (“like a cah-nun-bah-wull!“), which proved to be occasionally irritating, “Battlefield” is much more raw and heartbreaking in its delivery. “What seemed like a good idea has turned into a battlefield,” Lea harshly cries out. (Probably would have made for a good inclusion on the Hunger Games soundtrack, no?) It’s a pretty haunting number — especially as Sia’s background vocals come wailing in during the final few seconds.
Consider this Lea’s very own “You Lost Me.”
“Battlefield” was released on December 28. (iTunes)
