Renee Stahl – Every Tear is a Prayer (2021)
Losing someone you care about is never easy and it is often hard to let go when you need to. These feelings are captured by Renee Stahl in her single ‘Every Tear is a Prayer’. Drawing on personal experience, she looks at finding yourself in a vulnerable place and learning to let go as the person you have lost does the same. With painfully heart-wrenching lyrics and intense emotional soundscapes, she highlights the struggles of these challenging times and the celebration of life that can come from them.
Co-written with Rich Jacques, the pair bring a touching intimacy to your ears as they work through personal experiences which are universally relatable. Already well regarded in the music industry for her rich melodies and atmospheric soundscapes, Stahl has collaborated with a range of artists over the years. With her solo work, she creates unique music that offers mainstream appeal.
‘Every Tear is a Prayer’ has a beat deep in the low levels that hits your ears like a heartbeat. This is covered by the jittering synth notes before the delicate piano line rises in your chest. The three layers of music come together after the first chorus for a gentle swell of piano notes. There is an almost dreamy feeling to the music like it is covering you in a pastel haze. This feeling works wonderfully with the lyrics and emotions of the track as you can easily find yourself lost in the pale mists.
Stahl’s vocals are a whispered yearning at the start of the track. As she asks to stay in a moment of peace and happiness, she fills you with this longing which is relatable as everyone has felt it at some point. There is a soft vulnerability in her vocals as she gently sings making you feel that any louder sounds will irrevocably break the peace. While you are filled with a yearning to stay in a soft moment, the chorus urges you to let go. This urge is enhanced by the harmonisation that calls out through the soundscape.
The single’s music video makes use of expansive landscapes to bring the mists of the melody to life. Within these landscapes you see Nanci Anderson dancing to the emotions of the track. She is able to bring the vulnerability of the music to visuals with her movements. As you are filled with a yearning for peaceful times, this is shown in the monochrome moments of the video. The soft beauty of the track has been captured in the cinematography of the video in a captivating manner that makes you want to watch the whole video.
Renee Stahl makes you want to stay in a moment of peace while acknowledging that you need to let go in the softly beautiful ‘Every Tear is a Prayer’. The pastel-coloured mists of the melody are easy to get lost in while the vocals make you yearn for peaceful moments. As the song progresses, Stahl urges us to let go and find the peace we think we have in the moments we want to remember.
Find out more about Renee Stahl on her Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
