BY DEMI MARSHALL
Up-and-coming artist Hannah Grace recently released a new single “Oh River”, which truly showcases her strong, timeless voice. With sound and vocals that remind me of folk/indie artists such as Florence and The Machine, this single was very intriguing and impressive. Bringing a calming sense of peace, but also empowerment, Grace’s powerful voice carries the listener through a beautiful experience in this song.
The music in this song is a content mix of piano and violin, which perfectly flows with Grace’s airy vocals. The background music does a great job of mimicking the power or frailty in Grace’s voice, and never takes away from the driving force of her vocals. The music also maintains the listener’s interest by utilizing a variety of crescendos and decrescendos that build the song up, and finally ease it into a close, adding to the fact that the song itself feels like it is telling a story. This aspect also comes from the song’s unique and poetic lyrics.
Using a metaphorical idea of a river taking you through many years of life and experiences, Grace paints a picture that listeners can relate to, while also appreciating the beauty and precision of these lyrics. Building up to one of the highest points in the music when debating whether or not “going with the flow” will help ease her pain, these lyrics not only tell a story, but also leave the listener with a lingering question that could pertain to their own lives.
Grace’s voice is also nothing short of amazing. Her vocals do not sound heavily edited, but rather flow naturally, making it evident that she possesses a lot of raw talent. She showcases quite a range throughout this song, oftentimes hitting low notes, but also letting some falsetto peek through near the end. Grace’s voice has a lot of power and support under it, and she also seems to have great vocal control as well. Her variety of range and power she uses in her voice throughout the song gives it the empowering yet soothing feel it evokes, which keeps the song unique and interesting.
Overall, Hannah Grace’s new single “Oh River” presents her amazing vocal ability, while also producing a calming and interesting song that listeners can easily relate to and enjoy. It isn’t everyday that an artist with such raw talent breaks into the music scene, so it is definitely worth giving Grace a listen. If you like indie/folk music, or you can just appreciate a talented musician with strong vocals, then Hannah Grace is definitely for you.