DARIANN LEIGH - Just Say It -  Burning Ground Entertainment

Though it had been a little over a year since we last heard from Dariann Leigh when she released “Bury Me On Broadway” this past May, her love letter to Nashville’s most famous street confidently swung open her next chapter, creating an instant buzz that heightened intrigue for what comes next.

She now returns with her second single of the year, “Just Say It.”

“Just Say It” truly embodies the all-encompassing feeling when you’re waiting for someone to tell you how they feel. It makes you feel crazy, happy, nervous, and maybe even a little scared," says Dariann. "It's a bubbly love song no one has heard from me yet. It’s a whole different side to my artistry that I’m excited to tap in and just say it!”

Surrounded in an airiness that layers the simple, rhythmic strum of guitar, Dariann floats the cleanliness of her voice over the top of the opening verse as she paints the picture of a budding romance that’s gliding the steamier line as they passionately move closer toward the realness of falling in love; “It’s when you kiss me, you always leave me wishin’ every time,” “Last night was something our bodies were talking,” etc.

However, as close as they’re now getting to one another, she muses on how they’ve still left the most important 3-words unsaid as she pleads into the chorus within the idea of “you say it first,” searching for confirmation that her feelings are accurate and her intuition about them is what he’s feeling too:

“All I wanna hear you say

(Sittin’ on the tip of your tongue)

Tell me what you’re thinking babe

(everything that you’re thinking of)

If you’re talking, I’m listening

If you’re talking, I don’t wanna miss it

Just say it, and just say it babe

Just say it, I don’t want to miss it so”

With a very interesting melodic jump into the second verse, which dynamically matches her racing heartbeat, she continues seeking affirmation from him, “tell me you want me as bad as I want you,” hoping he’ll calm the butterflies dancing around her nervousness by letting her know that he’s experiencing the same.

With each next layer revealed this year, Dariann Leigh is shining a bright spotlight on her artistry and unique abilities to swerve the predictable norms that we might expect from her as she moves her next chapter into new territories of noticeable growth as a songwriter, vocalist, and overall artist.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)