RnB’s Levi DaRosa on Her “They Don’t (Make’m Like You)” Single and Video

Looking for the good in everything is the only thing one can do as one navigates the highs and lows of life, and Levi DaRosa has been able to do so through song. Since she was young, Levi was introduced to music as a part of her everyday life, through her mother’s cleaning jams and devoting all time and effort to learning instrumentals and vocal skills in school. She quickly learned to appreciate music, but then later learned how to use it to express her feelings when it’s hard to have control over them. Her musical expertise, combined with her raw talent with her smooth, soft voice, allows her to achieve her goal of making people feel good about their lives, no matter what a person may be going through.

“They Don’t (Make’m Like You)” is an ode to good memories that seem to slip away from everyone. The song begins with a captivating introduction of R&B beats, flowing right through Levi’s romantic vocals. Listeners all around the world experience relationships that end sooner than they could have ever imagined, or feel like a failure in life or a mistake that should have never happened. But to Levi, who sings a soft-spoken yet pain-filled tone, it’s just another moment that shapes how we think or decide to live day by day. Despite any negative moments, she wants her fans to know how they have positively impacted her, especially all of the minutes that have spent with love.

We follow a close-knit couple wandering their perfect date night. They stay close together and it is clear that this couple wants to spend every moment together. But, after flashbacks of love, Levi is seen singing by herself in the same spots where they once walked together. Levi sings about her old memories as she looks around for the feelings she had when she was in her relationship.

Levi weighed in on her journey, growth, taking center stage, and more

Can you share a bit about your journey into music and what drew you specifically to R&B?

A little history about my journey into music stemmed from growing up around talented vocalists most notably being my mom listening to her sing and being exposed to gospel music at an early age. Singing along to the melodies and cadences taught me a lot about my own vocal abilities which played a large role in creating my own sound. The genre of R&B/Soul was such a prevalent influence simply because it’s the music I grew up on and ultimately fell in love with the vibe of the music videos, the passion behind each note, and the influence of love it had on my community. Every song was just super unique and that’s when I realized R&B was in a lane on its own and as an artist that walks to the beat of their own drum, I gravitated toward it.

What inspires your songwriting process? Are there particular themes or experiences that resonate with you?

What inspires my process is the mental space and mood I’m in at that specific time. It’s seldom I don’t finish a song soon after I begin creating it because for me I want to catch that raw emotion and sing from the heart as much as I can. I want my audience to feel my experiences and be able to find something they can ultimately relate to. I tend to think of myself as the girl next door who happens to be a talented musician so my concepts are often centered around what I’ve been through romantically but also a young woman that just wants to have fun in life. The most exciting part for me is when I’m able to fuse my love for R&B and Hip-Hop together with records I want people of all ages to bounce their shoulders to. Most people don’t know I come from a mixed culture of music so no theme or concept is off limits.

What challenges have you faced in your artistic journey, and how have they shaped you as an artist?

The most challenging aspects of pursuing my music career have been finding the right opportunities and building relationships with people who are who they say they are. I come from a time where talent was discovered and heavily appreciated however recently I notice the labels care more about who they can manufacture. When you’re raw and original people are less likely to bet on you so how it’s shaped me as an artist is I continue to bet on myself by making the proper investments.

How does the imagery in your music video relate to the themes or message of the song?

The imagery of the music video relates to the message of the song beginning with flashbacks of a budding romance. I wanted to convey two friends who genuinely enjoy each other’s company so in the beginning you get a glimpse of what that looks like in real time. It was also important to me to show our eye contact and moments of conversation because those are just a few signs of an authentic connection. The reference of “They don’t make’m like you” is an attempt to remind your partner you love them for who they are but on the flip side you eventually see me alone and backtracking those moments to show the harsh reality that sometimes relationships just don’t work out for whatever reason.

What role do you think visual storytelling plays in enhancing the audience’s connection to your music?

I think storytelling is super helpful in enhancing the audience’s connection because it helps them get to know me better as an artist. They get to see my style, my movement and most importantly how I envision the concept itself. As an artist whether you like the line light or not you realize rather quickly how visual people are and it’s important to show them your creativity through your music video presentations because I think it helps them feel apart of your process.

How do you hope audiences will interpret or engage with the imagery and storyline of your music video?

I hope audiences will engage positively with the music video and hopefully find that one thing they can relate to whether it’s the visual itself, the concept of the lyrics or me as the artist expressing the lyrics. The storyline itself is one that has happened to so many around the world because we’ve all had highs and lows in our relationship but no matter what we find the hands of time stop for no one and that we must keep the hope of love alive.

What emotions or atmosphere were you aiming to evoke through the visuals, and how did you achieve this?

The atmosphere definitely played a part in evoking certain emotions just because I wanted to put an emphasis on those memorable date nights. I think couples who are really in tune often enjoy the friendship of the relationship more than the title itself so it was also important to not go super over the top with my imagery. I also commend my costar and I for being able to tap in to the chemistry needed to achieve the vibe of a genuine couple enamored with each other.

What was the most memorable moment or scene for Levi the artist during the filming of the music video?

The most memorable scene for me during filming was in front of the movie theatre when I’m sitting on the stairs and my arms go back in slow motion. I get chills watching it back sometimes and I’m so glad the videographer was able to capture me in my element. I’m such a perfectionist at times so those candid moments of me just being me and off guard are perfect to me because it’s who I really am. It’s just a cool scene in my eyes and memorable to me.

What do you hope viewers will take away from experiencing your music video, both on a surface level and a deeper, more introspective level?

On a surface level I hope viewers will take away the effort I put into bringing this music video into fruition as an artist investing into their own projects. I try to focus on delivering more than what my limitations are so the song itself fused with the visuals is what I hope viewers resonate with however on a deeper more introspective level I want the audience to take away my story.

If you listen closely to the lyrics the visuals are just an enhancement of my inner thoughts and feelings which makes me rather vulnerable but I don’t mind being vulnerable in my art…it’s what I believe will help fans understand me better and that I’m not just a surface level act.

Follow Levi DaRosa

Instagram: @levidarosaofficial

TikTok: @levidarosaofficial

Facebook: @levidarosamusic