There are some songs you could write an elaborate review blog about, but when it comes to this song, I could actually make this short and sweet, and just write: “I really love it” and leave it at that.
As a writer of lyrics, I do love the lyrics and the topic is something we can all relate to, but the thing that makes this song work for me, really, is Tori Kelly.
I actually don't know all that much about her. I just know that she's been very popular on YouTbe. Musically, the only things I've heard and seen so far, were a couple of featurings she had done for others, but I know her star is on the rise and she's definitely been working with the right people, like Ed Sheeran, Pentatonix and songwriter Max Martin, who already has had a lengthy career full of hit songs.
Since Miley Cyrus did “Wrecking Ball”, every female singer looking for a song will ask for a power ballad like that. “Hollow” is one of those.
Don't get me wrong, because this song sounds nothing like “Wrecking Ball”, but this is every bit of what a power pop ballad, today, should sound like. It's radio friendly and commercial. You sing along to it immediately, so basically, if you don't like mainstream stuff, just skip it. But if you do, then it really is high end.
Tori's interpretation and vocal deliverance is spot on. It's fragile, sensitive and powerful all at once. With her voice, she really is able to tell the story and let all the right emotions come through. There are some clever mixing techniques used on her voice in the bridge that make the vocals even more fragile and airy at that point. It really gives the song an interesting break.
“Hollow” is the first single coming from the repackaged edition of her debut album, “Unbreakable Smile”. The song wasn't available on the original release.
Last week, she's released a lyrics video for it, but I'm sure it won't take long before an official video will be released. After all, the girl's a YouTube girl! And speaking of which, this is one of those songs, where it won't take long 'til many other YouTube singers are covering it. They have a tough act to follow though.
By the way, “Hollow” is not the only song that Tori Kelly released last week. Her version of Disney's “Colors Of The Wind” was also released last week. Originally, the song was sung by Vanessa Williams for the movie Pocahontas.
