This week’s Off-Ramp song of the week is “Reformer” by the UK group Darkstar, but the singer's name comes straight out of Los Angeles: it's Lorely Rodriguez. Rodriguez grew up here and went to the LA County High School for the Arts. She did competitive jazz singing before she began writing and composing her own music under the name Empress Of. She talked about her Los Angeles roots with KPCC's The Frame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urh8RRMJcC0

This song, “Reformer” is just the most recent thing she’s done. Empress Of’s debut record — just called “Me” — was one of the best reviewed records of 2015.