We were all hit hard by the powerhouse vocals performed on epic, Pop Rock numbers such as Out Of Time and Inside Of Me from RAIGN’s critically acclaimed 2018 debut album SIGN From Above. However, on this occasion, the LA-based music artist has replaced, what Neon Music has called “the resilient lungs of RAIGN,” with a much less bold, vocally simpler and delicate moment on her emotive rendition of the Phil Spector classic Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), originally performed by diva Darlene Love. And the result is a captivating, tour-de-force of blissful, breathy singing.
Transforming what was an upbeat, joyful song for the season into a ballad with a slow tempo, RAIGN and producer Robbie Lamon (Ellie Goulding/Lana Del Rey) have profoundly taken the concept of “Christmas” and created a piece of music which reaches out to those who are at their most loneliest during this time of year. They have replaced the song’s original context with atmospheric synths which bring about that sense of icy winter with the use of epic reverb and delay effects, alongside church-influenced, choir backing vocals in the chorus sections.
“When I read the lyrics for this joyous Christmas song, I was surprised to see they were full of longing and sadness. I decided to really embody that feeling of desperately wanting a loved one to come home for the holidays, something that rings true for so many of us separated from our loved ones during the pandemic.” – RAIGN
Praise is to be given to RAIGN for her thematic insight into the true meaning of the lyrics, as she dramatically delivers a vocal performance which wreaks of “the longing for love.” Vocally, the musician’s vulnerability shines through effortlessly, with the most stunning shimmer at the end of most her phrasing and we wouldn’t expect anything less from one of the most underrated singers in the industry. We highly recommend that you listen to RAIGN’s beautiful cover of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).