Canadian country rising star Manny Blu makes the long-anticipated announcement on the release of his upcoming EP New Ink, available on November 13th and available to pre-order / pre-save today. Giving fans a sneak peek of what to expect from this new collection of tracks, Blu also released the first single off the sophomore album today. Entitled “Born To Ride,” it perfectly lays the groundwork for what is to come.
Bringing to life a completely different side of the Montreal-native, New Ink speaks directly to what Blu himself calls the “true heart” of the band’s live shows — “There’s more rock, more soul, and more volume this time around. It’s bigger and louder, but it’s still me. And more importantly, it’s still fun.”
With the hope of belonging in rock, as much as his country music roots, the new EP also blends an influence of Outlaw Country, new territory for Manny. While influenced by the likes of Brantley Gilbert, The Cadillac Three and Jason Aldean, each of the 5 tracks heard on New Ink live in an edgy new space with rock-based instrumentals at the forefront. Recorded at OmniSound Studios in Nashville and produced by Aaron Eshuis (Scotty McCreery, A Thousand Horses, Ryan Hurd), its rock-forward approach is fitting since the title stems from one of Blu’s favourite bands, Mötley Crüe, and their album New Tattoo. One look at Blu and it’s no secret that he’s a fan of tattoos — but to him New Ink means more than just thinking about the next one, for him it’s the release of his inner creative expression and his new sound to the world.
New Ink’s first single, “Born To Ride,” is a track about finding that ‘ride or die’ person who will have your back as much as you have theirs.
Consisting of 4 additional tracks telling the stories of real-life through love and heartbreak, Blu’s upcoming EP has allowed for incredible growth. Not only has 2020 already been a landmark year when it comes to streaming for the up-and-coming artist, it has also led to the development of global expansion with the addition of teams in the US, Canada and the UK.
“Music is one of the most powerful elements to someone’s life,” said Blu when talking of the story behind the EP. “I think it can make what someone is going through ok, it can motivate, and empower people — so I tried to add a little piece of each of those things into New Ink.”
