Amuka, The Dancefloor Diva warns “Don’t Fall For It”

Amuka has joined forces with Grapefruit Sound Lab on Don’t Fall For It, an inspiring track meant to lift listeners through the troubling times we are living in by offering a message of strength, self-reflection and love.    “When we are motivated by love and release fear, the world’s negativity will simply be absorbed into the atmosphere as excess heat and dissipate,” says the song’s writer, Robert Cotnoir of Grapefruit Sound Lab.  The song is a club track but transcends the dancefloor with its unique “classic rock & roll-but-with-synthesizers” sound.    It is the first single off of the upcoming Grapefruit Sound Lab album, Eight Days Across America. Grapefruit Sound Lab and Amuka’s Don‘t Fall For It is being distributed through Howe Records and it and its remixes are available on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital retailers and streaming services.

“The idea for the song came to me on a lonely night in a Chicago hotel, when I realized all the time, energy and resources I had spent attempting to make other people happy was at the expense of my own self-worth,” reflects Cotnoir.  In addition to his work with Grapefruit Sound Lab, Cotnoir is an award-winning Hollywood motion picture music editor.  “I was in multiple relationships with people who were exhibiting narcissistic traits, relying on superstition rather than common sense to maintain my own skewed view of friendship.”

The song’s original title was “I Fell For It”, intended as a warning for others to not make the same mistakes he had made, but Amuka convinced Cotnoir to change it to Don’t Fall For It. “‘I Fell For It’ took the part of the victim and I knew in my heart that we needed an anthem with a more powerful message,” she explains.

“I see this song as a way to spread love through awareness,” Amuka continues. “Pay attention to that little voice that tells you to hesitate when something doesn’t pass the smell test.  Follow your gut. Beware of false tongues. Consider things more thoroughly. We all need to wear extra armor, especially our youth, as they will be the most affected by the decisions our leaders make today.”

Amuka has enjoyed an epic career in disco-era funk, dancefloor music and hip hop. Discovered by “Godfather of Funk” George Clinton, the Detroit native originally sang lead for the band, The Brides of Funkenstein. Rolling Stone named their Never Buy Texas from a Cowboy album “One of the 50 coolest albums of all time.” As a soloist, Amuka has worked with everyone from Bootsy Collins and the P-Funk All-Stars to John Mellencamp and Rick James. Most recently, she lent her vocals to rappers Public Enemy’s new album.  Amuka has had six Billboard Top 10 hits including U Ain’t That Good, Craving, I Want More (Cling on to Me), My Man, Destination (We Are the Ones), and the number one hit single Appreciate Me, produced by the late electronica icon Peter Rauhofer.

She and Cotnoir recorded Don’t Fall For It at the world famous United Sound Systems Recording Studio in Detroit with Mr. Gregory Head, Reg Flowers, and recordist Michael “Mav” Lawrence.   It is the first single off of Grapefruit Sound Lab’s Eight Days Across America album, a collection of eight songs that span musical genres from dance, house, electronica, synthpop, soul, rock & roll, folk and classical, to adult contemporary.  “It’s hashtag #americanaelectronica,” says Cotnoir. “Meant to take listeners on a road trip in a fast car on the open interstate across our great nation.”

Amuka and Cotnoir chose Don’t Fall For It as the album’s first release because the single was designed to quickly grab listener’s attention.  The hope is that it will entice listeners to continue the journey through the rest of the album.  Cotnoir worked on two remixes for Don’t Fall For It: the Nice ‘n’ Slow Mix, and the Robert Cotnoir/Dave Godin Mix. Additional remixes in the repertoire are by DJ Jack Chang, Chris C, Joel Dickinson, C-ROD, DJ ALAN bd, Dirty Disco, Nitemover, James Anthony and DJ/VJ Danny Morris.

Cotnoir’s ultimate message with the single and album is one of hope.  “I want the world to know that America has not lost her way.”

Grapefruit Sound Lab and Amuka’s “Don’t Fall For It” is available on all digital retailers and streaming services.  For more information, visit https://www.grapefruitsoundlab.com.