Tag: songs about loss

OUT TODAY: Raphael Tate Returns With Soulful Single ‘Gotta Hold On’ From Album Love, Grieve and Live

Following his appearance on ITV’s Starstruck, where he impersonated the Godfather of Soul James Brown earlier in this year (2023), RAPHAEL TATE – known fondly as the Prince of Soul by his fans – is back in the spotlight with album, ‘Love, Grieve Live’ out today (18th August) via his label, Tate Love Productions.

The nine track album includes previously released singles – the orchestral-led ballad, ‘Lord I Need You Near’ (featuring acclaimed jazz musician JeffMajors), which received a seal of approval from BBC Radio Derby’s Pam Sidhu; ‘Here Without You’, supported by BBC Radio Stoke plus radio stations around the globe, and Reprezent Radio favourite, ‘Everyday Is Mother’s Day’.

‘Love Grieve and Live’ album mirrors the cycle of losing a dear one: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Raphael knows all too well what it’s like to be on the turbulent journey: in 2020, his mother unexpectedly passed away and understandably Raphael went through a rollercoaster of emotions.

Alongside the release of the album, Raphael also shares fifth track, ‘Gotta Hold On’, which arguably acts as an anchor of survival to the cycle of grief. With esteemed jazz/soul musician Mark A. Walker providing guitar riffs which adds an edge of funk to the soulful piece, ‘Gotta Hold On’ serves as the perfect platform for Raphael’s heartfelt powerhouse vocals to deliver an inspirational and powerful message of losing someone: it’s OK not to be OK, as those dark moments are in actual fact a fundamental part of the healing process.

Since impressing judges Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight, Rowland Keating and Jason Mansford with his slick moves as James Brown on ITV’s StarStruck, Washington DC-born Raphael has recently become a member of The Recording Academy/Grammy Awards Class of 2023 (Washington DC Chapter). With back-to-back performance across The Midlands – where he now calls home – and across the UK, Raphael manages to find the time to offer some healing with his new heartfelt album and single ‘Gotta Hold On’, both out now across various music platforms.

Follow Raphael Tate via:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/RaphaelTateofficial
T: https://twitter.com/TateRaphael
IG: https://www.instagram.com/raphaeltateofficial/

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Raphael Tate Opens Up About His Loss In Single, ‘Here Without You’

Premiered on BBC radio Derby, RAPHAEL TATE‘s new single, ‘Here without You’ is about different forms of grief we all encounter on a daily basis – from a bad break up, an estranged relationship from one’s child, and the extreme loss of losing a loved one. Surrounded by a breathtakingly stunning orchestration, Raphael brings awareness that suffering from any form of grief in silence can be detrimental to our mental and physical wellbeing.

Speaking of the inspiration behind ‘Here Without You’, Raphael confides: “This song is a personal reflection of what I have had to endure the last 13years from the estranged relationship from my first born son and the recent tragic loss of my Mother in May 2020. This composition was created to empathise and sympathise, with people like myself who are battling daily with different forms of grief – to show them strength, courage and perseverance. I wanted to share the message that you can and will make it through these challenges, if you just believe. I am leading by example how we can use our gifts in the arts as a major outlet to no longer sit in silence but openly express or communicate our challenges.”

2022 has been quite a year for Staffordshire-based powerhouse. Since his compelling ballad ‘Lord I Need You Near’- which also deals with the loss of his mother- was picked up by BBC Derby’s Pam Sidhu, Raphael has become a clear favourite with the regional station and went on to perform at BBC Derby charity, Beat The January Blues earlier in 2023. Raphael performance at the charity was aired on BBC One’s East Midlands Today.

Raphael recently took the stage on ITV’s Starstruck, and gave an outstanding performance as James Brown, impressing judges Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight, Rowland Keating and Jason Mansford. Can you watch his performance here. To see more footage on Raphael at Starstruck, please hear over to his IG account.

Now Raphael turns his attention to offering an ode anyone who’s lost in grief and needs a friendly ear with his latest single, ‘Here Without You’, which forms part of his upcoming album, ‘Love Grieve Live’.

Connect with Raphael Tate via:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/RaphaelTateofficial
T: https://twitter.com/TateRaphael
IG: https://www.instagram.com/raphaeltateofficial/

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Watch J Queezy’s Video For When It Rain, Dedicated To His Late Mother

New York native rapper J-QUEEZY releases a video for emotional new single ‘When It Rain’ after the passing of his mother.

Now residing in Atlanta, J-Queezy (real name Jaequan Herrod) is on the rise to becoming a prominent figure in the music industry. With musical influences ranging from rap greats Tupac, A Tribe Called Quest, and recent musical figures such as Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, J-Queezy is determined to become one of the best in the industry and work his way to the top and become a house hold name. Throughout his career, he plans to bring a unique and organic sound to the listeners through his music. He prides himself in being versatile and able to stand out from other musical peers by keeping his sounds organic and describes his musical journey as “something to remember.”

With his latest release ‘When It Rain,’ J-Queezy gives you a taste of what to expect from him lyrically; constantly creating and working on new music for his listeners, his work ethic seems to go unmatched and his hunger for success in the music industry will keep him at the top for as long as possible. Check out the video for heartfelt track below…

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Tilly Valentine Delivers New EP, ‘Half Empty/Half Full’

BBC 6-approved singer-songwriter TILLY VALENTINE‘s new brand EP, ‘Half Full/Half Empty’ symbolises love and loss, with each song is written from a different perspective taking us on a journey from hope to heartbreak.

Pop and soulful soundscapes set the tone for the EP, with hints of jazz and R&B. The optimistic narratives in opening tracks ‘Plus One’ and ‘Gin & Tonic’, tell the story of meeting your perfect match. Valentine’s love songs have been added to playlists such as New Music Friday, Riffs & Runs, Low-Key, Winter Moments, Starbucks and more. The EP later includes the sassy break-up singles, ‘XOXO’ and ‘Thinking of You (Déjà Vu)’.

The newest EP track, ‘Birthdays & Funerals’, is co-written with Easy Life’s producer, Ben Matravers, and samples real voice notes of Valentine’s loved ones. It’s about a relationship that has gone full circle; from growing together to grieving the loss. “Birthdays can be as hard as funerals when the ones you love aren’t there”, Valentine says. “Realising that you’ll never see someone again after a break up can be so heavy. It’s grieving a loss that feels like a death”.

Released last Friday (21st October), ‘Half Full/Half Empty’ is an honest and reflective EP that touches on both the good and bad experiences of love. Have a listen below…

Must Listens: XOXO, Thinking of You (Déjà Vu)

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Classified Share Emotive Single, ‘Accept It (Retrospected) + Video

Hip hop artist, songwriter and producer Luke Boyd – better known as CLASSIFIELD – shares his latest acoustic single and video for ‘Accept It’ (Retrospected) featuring Brett Matthews, the third release from the anticipated RETROSPECTED, his forthcoming hip hop acoustic album due out later this spring.

Directed by The Boyd Brothers, the video for ‘Accept It’ (Retrospected) unveils a real-life account of some of the everyday hard ships, experiences, and losses one may encounter in life. The narrative (penned by Classified) explains that while it’s an understatement to say that dealing with grief or loss is painful, there comes a time that we must ‘accept it’ and with a little effort, try to move on in life.

About the song, Classified shares, “This is a song I wrote after watching friends go through similar situations in real life. I think we all know someone that has lost a loved one to cancer and we’ve seen how that loss affects the friends and family around them in a variety of ways. At some point in life, we realize that we will mourn the loss of a loved one, which is a painful experience, but we know that we must ‘accept it’ and find a way to keep on living for those that are still here and for ourselves.”

“In the video I really wanted to portray that sentiment in the first verse. And, in the second verse, I speak about men and women who have had to go away to fight wars and defend our country, and then return home and have difficulty dealing with life after war – where often the small everyday life problems don’t compare to the things they have witnessed and gone through. It can’t be easy, and I wanted to capture those feelings in this video.”

Check out the heartfelt video for ‘Accept It’ below…

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