Friday, February 7, 2014

David Archuleta Retrospective Series Part Twenty Four: "I'll Be"





 

 
By Pamela Pike and Rosanne Simunovic

 

 http://youtu.be/CsNEHnSfQ04 Mall of America without music
 


Pamela Pike’s Recollections

“I’ll Be” is a song written and sung by American singer Edwin McCain.  The song was released in January 1998 as the first single from his second album, Misguided Roses.

It peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a Top 10 hit. 

 Over the years is has become a popular wedding song, but Edwin McCain revealed in an interview the track was not intended as a love song but more of a kind of a Hail Mary prayer for him at a time when he was struggling with some personal problems.
 
This is a perfect song for David Archuleta to sing as he gives it a soulful, emotional, enduring heartfelt interpretation.  David is not just a singer/songwriter, he’s a storyteller and his music appeals to us all with a down to earth charm.
 
David is super talented and doesn’t use stage antics to bring his audience into the music; he uses the music to bring into his audience.  He also has this great ability to put emotions into words that can reach out far beyond a single performance.  He keeps music simple and is able to wrap us around his finger.  His attitude of performing and his willingness to embrace and connect to his fans is second to none.
 
No matter how many times you hear David sing “I’ll Be” he is so good he raises goose bumps.  David opens his heart to the audience obviously loving this song as much as his fans.

 David’s acoustical emotion packed performance gives you a musical euphoria with his amazing vocals. He presents his fans with what they want, his powerful voice and contrasting emotion instinctively draws in his audience.  What he does best and what he appears to especially enjoy the most is expressing heartfelt passion through his songs.

 David never over sings and delivers vocals to suite the song, he speaks straight from his heart; this gift explains why his music will endure and why his performances are so easy to hear.

David’s one of a kind, a rare and engaging talent with an impressive style and imagination. My heart is bursting with anticipation and joy to see what he brings to music on his return.



Rosanne Simunovic's Recollections

As always, I have relished the opportunity to read Pamela's background summary of the songs featured during this Retrospective Series.

However, her informative synopsis behind the birth of "I'll Be" really intrigued and resonated with me. Sometimes, when one listens to a song, one has to wonder: "What was the driving force behind the creation of this composition". So, thank you, Pamela, for sharing this information with us. 

Who has not struggled with personal problems? It's something that we all have to live with and try to overcome in our day-to-day lives. 

David understands this and uses his vocal power, sensitivity and musicality to create a strong, enduring bond between himself and his adoring fans.

This song has never sounded more believable, more passionate and sincere;  David possesses all these characteristics in his daily life and these human elements are seamlessly carried over to his musical life. 

His voice is a force - the purity, the shape of his phrases, the technical brilliance are second to none. None!  And, when you add the human element, the spirituality that forms the root of every song David sings, then one is left with a flawless, heart-stopping musical experience.

David was only 16-years-old when he performed this song. Most 16-year-old male vocalists are still trying to find their voices. However, in David's case, it almost appears as if THE VOICE found him. For many, perhaps, can technically sing as well as David, but rarely can a singer move and stir souls like David is so capable of doing.

THE VOICE is a gift that David has cherished, nurtured and nourished with absolute reverence and respect. And the music world is a much better place because of David's devotion to his music. 

Thank you, David, for your tender, earnest and gorgeous performance of this beautiful song. 

Rosanne Simunovic
Grandmother to the best four grandchildren in the Universe because they are mine and I said so! Ha!

1 comment:

  1. A minor correction to the thoughtful, interesting comments written about the earlier video of 'I'll Be': This is David singing at his junior high school's talent contest. He is 14 years old, not 16...which just illustrates his brilliance even more. That he is so good so young and still improving is amazing to me.

    ReplyDelete