“The Gift,” the new single/music video from singer-songwriter Anna Krantz, was inspired by the late comedian Leslie Jordan’s philosophy that “happiness is a discipline or a choice.”
In his book of essays, Jordan wrote, “Happiness is a choice. Happiness is a habit. And happiness is something you have to work hard at. It does not just happen.”
The song begins with the lyrical phrase “like a wise man said,” revealing Krantz’s private exploration of ‘happiness as an inside job.’
“Happiness is a discipline, like a wise man said / It’s a choice that you make, every day when you wake / Give thanks for the day ahead / It’s yours to create, anytime you think you’ve lost your way / Remember this, happiness is the gift that you give to yourself / So give it to yourself now?”
Krantz has collaborated with artists such as Mickey Guyton, Sir Cliff Richard, and Ed Sheeran. Sheeran says, “Anna was one of the first ever people I collaborated with, and I’m still playing the songs we wrote together today. She’s an amazing songwriter and performer and it’s always a pleasure to play shows with her. Just really good music coming from that lass.”
Recent collaborations with Bobbi Arlo, Tolu Makey, and Lydia Ford have generated beaucoup buzz in Ireland and the U.K. Her forthcoming EP, produced by Tim Ross, blends atmospheric auras with electronic ingredients into authentic, viscerally alluring sonic brews.
“The Gift” opens on a low-slung, emerging piano, simultaneously warm and poignant. Krantz’s voice, evocative and oh-so-beautiful, imbues the lyrics with heartfelt passion, a passion at once elegant and lingeringly compelling.
The mid-tempo rhythm, topped by soft, shining harmonic accents, emphasizes the tune’s profoundly affecting import.
Wonderfully, gorgeously wrought, and powered by the enchanting voice of Anna Krantz, “The Gift” bares a luscious, palpable energy.
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