Project Description
ALANA JOANNE
‘The Love I Gave’
(Single Review)
Reviewer: Marissa Newman
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Authentic, spellbinding and with a live show to die for. There is really no match for an artist with something to say. In every respect, pop/R&B luminary Alana Joanne has it covered.
She’s no stranger to life’s journey either. Hailing from Noarlunga, South Australia, Alana made Melbourne her home in 2014. A staunch believer in the power of music to move and inspire, she does – through her songwriting and gift for cutting lyricism – send messages of hope to those without a voice of their own. Pair this motivation with Alana’s disarming sense of musicianship and you have an artist whose output is a true force to be reckoned with.
Blending soaring, pitch-perfect vocals with a brand of beat-making that both honours and extends a rich lineage of R&B artists, the Alana Joanne sound is uniquely her own. Effortless, pop-infused melodies and perfectly measured instrumentation weave amongst a spacious and crisply produced palette of guitars, synthesisers and modular strings. If Lady Gaga, Kesha and Amy Lee made a pact to encourage the next generation of pop musicians through song, there’s no doubt we’d be some way to understanding the weight and importance of Alana’s contribution to music in Australia.
Teamwork is the centerpiece of Alana’s art. A follow-on from 2018’s debut EP FearLess, her hit collaboration with rising hip hop artist Connor Jones, Shadows (above) made waves on local and national platforms alike when in was released in February 2019. As Alana works towards a new release date layer this year, it’s clear that this extraordinary self-motivated artist has plenty of love to give.
It is, in fact, Alana’s keen sense of giving that’s at the core of what makes her work so special. Uniting her songwriting skills with her committed advocacy of well-being and self-expression, Alana is currently collaborating with a number of like-minded artists to develop a series of mental health-focused podcasts for survivors.
“The stage is my home, but at the core of it, I can make music to give people something to believe in,” Alana Joanne said.
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I love the introduction to this song, it starts of in a really unique way that has a kind of groove feel to it. It is a song that instantly grabs your attention. There is a real funk influence here with high jazz chords played on what sounds like a ssynthesiser.
The vocals come in around the 10 second mark and they are instantly clear. This is something that I really like when you listen to a song and you can make out what the artist is singing. Alana Joanne has a voice that can only be described as spellbinding and one of a kind. You really need to hear Alana’s voice to appreciate the power that she has in her vocal range.
The switch from major key to minor key in the pre-chorus is a cool way of changing up the repetition in the song. The song also features a strong and catchy chorus and you can tell that Alana is passionate about what she is singing. I feel that this makes a huge difference when you are listening to a song, when there is so much music around that feels like it is about nothing in particular, it is great to hear a song from a passionate artist.
I also feel that the song to me is something that many people can relate to, in terms that they have been in a relationship where they feel like they have been taken for granted or not noticed enough and they are begging for attention from their partner. The chorus of this song really reiterates this point and I feel that this builds a connection with the listener.
The simplicity of the song makes way for the vocals to be the focal point of the song. I feel that when you are singing passionately and in a way that advocates, the vocals should be the main point of the song. With only four or five layers of timbre throughout the song with minimal chords.
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My favourite line of this song occurs around half way through the song with the simple line. ‘I’m a survivor’, I feel that there is so much power in this one line of the song and it really resonated with me. This line speaks volumes in the song as it really says no matter what happens you can come out of it and you are the winner you are the survivor.
Dynamically, I felt that there could have been more builds in the arrangement as it felt a little robotic however this is another key aspect into making the vocals pop in the song and is only a small complaint in what is a fantastic song.
All in all this is a fantastic song and a song that you can listen to over and over again. The song has so much emotion and passion behind it and it really focuses on the strength of Alana Joanne’s vocals. I can’t wait to see what she will do in the future. I feel that she is a rising star and someone to keep your eye out for in the very near future.
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