Ben Freeman – Rejoice (2021)
Ben Freeman filled up with empowerment with an RnB foundation sprinkled with some gospel in ‘Theology’. This wonderful mixture of soul, RnB and gospel continues in his single ‘Rejoice’ featuring Aric B, Velez and Soul Connection. While steeped in liturgy, the single is not only for the religious, as it brings the bright and resilient spirit of what it means to rejoice in what we have.
Written at a time when Freeman was not too keen on the concept of God, the single is a journey to that moment of euphoria when we can just rejoice in what we have in life. While working through some deep and traumatic events, the single brings Freeman’s understanding of the receptiveness of the world and communication with everything around us. Connecting to the world at large, the single offers a different perspective on what it is to rejoice.
The almost wooden tapping and clicking that opens ‘Rejoice’ sets a bright feeling to the music. These tones are joined by soulful and smooth lower melodic lines. The two layers of instrumentation create a soulful movement that is both packed with RnB and toe the line of gospel. There is a cinematic flow to the music as it sweeps through you and leaves light glitter tones sparkling in its wake. Halfway through the single, everything becomes tender and touching as the glittering tones take over and open your chest for air to rush in. Later in the track, the gospel feeling of the track really hits with a soaring feeling of joy.
Freeman’s vocals finish off the soulful and RnB flourishes of the melody. His voice is so rich and silken that you can’t help but be drawn into the track by it. He infuses a lot of emotion into his performance as he takes you on the journey he went through as he wrote the song. There are some serious gospel moments as his voice rises in praise of the connection we all have with everything around us. While there is a touch of gospel and liturgy within the lyrics, the feeling of his performance transcends religion. Through his performance, you can feel your soul reach out for a connection with the world, and the feeling that there is someone listening, whether that is God or not. It is a wonderful new take on rejoicing and how it can encompass your soul, whether you believe or not.
Ben Freeman transcends religion to bring a new perspective to the feeling of rejoicing and connecting with the world in ‘Rejoice’. The music is tender and moves to serious gospel tones to send your spirit flying. His vocals are soulful and smooth as they slide into your ears and take you on the journey of the single
Find out more about Ben Freeman on his Instagram and Spotify.
