The very thing that makes singer-songwriters often all sound the same is actually the thing that sets them apart. In recent years the middle ground between the mainstream and the more cultish underground scenes has been awash with skinny-jeanned, gap-year troubadours, usually in wide-brimmed hats, trying to impart their wisdom on the listener and seduce the world with an acoustic guitar and a working knowledge of A minor. And people fall for it, all the time.
It is not until a real talent comes along, someone who knows how to ring real passion, vitality, experience and musicianship out of the format that you realize that people have been getting away with murder for years. British musician, songwriter, singer & producer, Tatiana DeMaria is the benchmark by which these imposters should now be judged.
“Make Me Feel” is the sound of the solo acoustic format being boiled down to its very essence whilst simultaneously being raised to new heights. Growing from understated and casual, scatter-chord strums into something which feels more deliberate, drawing in minimal beats and graceful breakdowns, soaring vocals and cheeky lyrics, it is Tatiana’s voice which remains the focal point.
Covering so much ground with, not only her expressive voice but occasionally unexpected deliveries you quickly realize what the term singer-songwriter really means. It was there in the title all along. A singer with a song. If you need to employ studio tricks and media gimmicks, plagiarize the past or try to fuse genres together to make your own particular thing work, then you have probably lost before you have even begun.
“Make Me Feel” is so simple in its concept. A great song, a great singer, no distractions. Why do other people pursuing a similar pathway make it so hard on themselves? I think we know the answer to that one!
Those following Tatiana’s career, will recognise this song, it first saw light of day two years ago driven by a fuller, band-orientated sound, but like any great song, it stands up to re-invention and interpretation, in fact it does more than that, it shows an artist who is keen to explore, re-invent, change and challenge their own work to see where it takes them, a fresh and exciting approach if ever there was one. Those who wish to compare notes can find the original here
Pre-save this new version of “Make Me Feel” here
