Zoe Guigueno – Benefit Of The Doubt (2022)
From busking in a pink gorilla costume in the New York subway to playing on CBS, touring in over 20 countries and performing with Steve Martin and Martin Short, singer-songwriter Zoe Guigueno has some unique experiences in her music career. A multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and composer from Vancouver, Guigueno has been declared by the US government as an “alien of extraordinary ability”. This is my introduction to Guigueno, but she is turning heads across the globe with her unique melodies. Come with us as we dip our toes into her single ‘Benefit Of The Doubt’.
The second track from her new album We Were Radar Stations, ‘Benefit Of The Doubt’ combines elements of jazz, folk and contemporary pop in a three-minute-long sonic package. Wrapping pop in a bubble of old-school folk intimacy, but with the soulfulness of Norah Jones and Joni Mitchell, ‘Benefit Of The Doubt’ is a tender, warm song. The thing is, while a softness exists in the soothing tone, the single has an enigmatic obscurity with an Amanda Palmer-type oddness in the piano. It is as if the obscure tones enhance the complexity of the theme in a melodic representation.
While the melody can hold its own without any need for vocals, the intricacy of the concept is made stronger with poetic lyricism. Interestingly enough, the song’s lyrics were inspired by a person other than Zoe Guigueno. She explains that “the lyrics of this song came to me as a letter from a pen pal…though the content of her initial correspondence had been relatively light, this one was the result of a rapid eye therapy session, a candid outpouring of her life story. I remember my jaw dropping as I read it; needing to process, I put the letter on my piano and sang her words aloud…”
In addition to the single, Zoe Guigueno released an official music video for ‘Benefit Of The Doubt’. You can view it below or on her official YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses image transition and lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
For more from Zoe Guigueno check out her official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
