You could say good music is all about bass, or catchy lyrics, or even glamorous stars, or autotune. But at the end of the day, good music is really just about talent. And great music is about lifting others up through its sound and lyrics, about providing a human connection over thousands of miles.
One of my favorite artists for doing that is American-born Shani (nee Shani Rigsbee), a gorgeous and multitalented woman who also happens to be the artist behind one of my favorite songs these days. Her latest release, “Changing Tides”, is a moving piece about lifting each other up and it explores exactly that concept of human connection that is so necessary for great music, in my opinion.
Shani’s one of those artists who’s always doing something cool, be it acting, directing, composing or singing. And when she’s not doing any of those things, rest assured she’s not shooting the breeze at home either. When she’s off stage and away from her many artistic projects, Shani’s devoting her time to a wide hoard of humanitarian causes, many of them provided aid to those who need it most, such as abuse victims through the “Voices Out” organization.
With such an intense background, it’s easy to see why Shani’s songs are always so moving and emotional. With the aid of three highly gifted artists (LaDarrel “Saxappeal” Johnson on sax, Jes July on bass and Orbel “Orbellion” Bababyan on keyboards and guitar), Shani manages to craft a touching and at times rousing piece about unity and love.
“I’ll stand so you don’t have to,” Shani sings, and you can’t help being touched by the lyrics, and by the impressive emotion that rises from each of Shani’s notes. “Changing Tides” is just the sort of easy, jazzy tune that could go down well in just about any setting, but when you get down to it and listen to the lyrics, it’s clear to see that this is a lot more than just another good time tune. It is, perhaps, exactly what this world needed in the chaotic mess that 2020 has been.