Niki Black - 'Hallelujah'
LA-based singer-songwriter Niki Black loses faith on impressive new single, ‘Hallelujah’.
Sonically there’s a satisfying simplicity and power to Black’s new single ‘Hallelujah’ which is understated and charming, yet also feels all-encompassing. There’s a sweetness and softness to the song in its affecting melodic textures as the song opens with a touching piano melody which is juxtaposed by a clean, crisp rolling hip hop beat adding a mellow anchor to the track. Black has also created a vocal hook that really does blissfully cling on to the inside of your head.
Black’s vocal is both light and dark, tender and potent as she incorporate soul and gospel influences into this huge hooky package of omnipotent awesomeness. There’s also an almighty darkness to the songs production as it writhes with a damned fury, reflecting the toxic nature of religions who ostracise (especially in relation to sexual orientation) and the underlying anger the coincides with a loss of faith; in people, in God, in romantic relationships, and even addiction.
I don’t tend to like to quote big chunks from press releases, or mention personal politics in reviews but disclaimer: When The Horn Blows at heart is a liberal publication run by a queer woman (hi it’s me), and this one is important to me:
"Hallelujah is a song about losing faith. I wrote the lyrics from a perspective that the faith I am losing is not tied allegorically just to God and religion, but is also parallels a romantic relationship or an addiction. The song is an ode to giving up a relationship that was designed to keep you powerless. The beginning of the song includes a soundbite from a mass I experienced in the Duomo in Florence, Italy that I snuck into and recorded on my phone. I was actually kicked out of the mass because the priest could tell I wasn't catholic (I was born Jewish) when I didn't hit one of the normal cues in the worship.
The irony is pretty hilarious. For the second verse, I carefully rewrote the Lord’s Prayer, the same one I recorded in Florence and placed in the song, from a perspective of personal reclamation. It was such a cathartic experience to do so. I was channeling any relationship where somebody or something, such as a drug, can play God in your life so easily and sense your naiveté - fooling a person into the illusion of their own inferiority. After you come to consciousness about the manipulation of your own self-worth by whoever or whatever, you are no longer needing to be saved by anyone but yourself.
Of course, the word Hallelujah means God be praised, and is usually literally sung in prayer. The main chorus lyric and crux of the song “Hallelujah, I used to sing it to you” is my way of expressing the surrender of the past and liberation of doing so. Personally, I do think of a relationship I had in which I was emotionally manipulated and my innocence was taken advantage of. But, the song also has the very deep meaning I carry with me of religion persecuting queer people, and saying they are not accepted to worship if their sexuality does not align with them. I lost my faith in religion greatly because of this hatred of queerness and division it has caused over the centuries, which I’ve been able to articulate as I’ve gotten older and come to consciousness. Hallelujah is the apex of these revelations in my mind, and the musical empowerment through these struggles that I needed."
’Hallelujah’ is a cleverly constructed offering that boldly refuses to be made smaller, cathartically removing unnecessary shackles. Yes, the message is deep, but it’s packaged into a tight, thrilling, beautiful, twisted groove that really burrows deep. A late contender for one of my favourite songs of the year.
Words of Karla Harris