New Orleans singer-songwriter Erica Falls has released her funky new single “Let’s Get Down Tonight” featuring Lyrics Born on Louisiana Red Hot Records to critical acclaim.

“Erica Falls sounds like the spirit of New Orleans music personified,” American Blues Scene writes. “A funky spirit. A free spirit. A spirit all sunshine. Her angelic and soulful voice builds a bridge between neo-soul and a vintage soul era thought to be lost.”

The B side “One Stop Shop” featuring Chali2na will be released on vinyl with “Let’s Get Down Tonight” on May 6, the day of Falls’ New Orleans Jazz Fest show at the Congo Square Stage, and available for purchase in the Music Tent. “Those songs were written in 2019 when I was in a really good, happy, funky place,” Falls says. “We’re actually just kind of like getting back around to it, due to this pandemic thing. And it’s sort of just kind of rolled into 2022. But I think it’s rolled right into the perfect place, by the perfect time. It’s the world I was living, loving in, during the pandemic. And the other aspect of it was just—let’s just forget about all that. Let’s have some fun.”

Music Fest News writes, “Emerging from the crushing weight of a pandemic that nearly took out an entire live music industry, New Orleans singer-songwriter Erica Falls is back stronger than ever with effervescent new single ‘Let’s Get Down Tonight’ featuring rapper Lyrics Born.”

Falls has performed as a backup vocalist for legends like Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas and Sting. “They were the most humble people that I had ever met,” Falls says. ‘I also learned the importance of professionalism, and how to express yourself musically. From Allen, I learned that writing is just a conversation. I’ve been really fortunate, when I was in the company of these people, that I learned so much from them.”

Falls toured with New Orleans funk band Galactic before going solo. “I always had my own thing going before I got with Galactic but, it was just here locally, and so I had to a make a decision. Some people are okay with being the big fish in small pond. But I thought my gift was more for the ocean. They didn’t know if I was gonna come in as some grand diva. But they just ended up being a great bunch of great guys who love food.” (Falls herself is a foodie, as seen on her Instagram.)

Falls has a busy tour ahead including Estonia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Tahiti and more. “We’re slowly opening up, I’m just so excited because it feels like for us musicians, we really took a hard hit. I’m back in the studio recording, working on a new project. After, you know, that nice little glitch we had for a minute.”

The singles “Let’s Get Down Tonight” (featuring Chali2na) and “One Stop Shop” (featuring Lyrics Born) out on Louisiana Red Hot Records feature Nick Mercardel on drums, Chris Adkins on guitar, Mike Bass on bass, Jason Hodge on keys, and Kendrick Marshall on Hammond B3 organ.