Despite scratching a living out of making extra-tall-skinny-cappuccinos-with-an-extra-shot-no-chocolate-powder-and-loads-of-froth (or perhaps precisely because of it), I am a fully paid-up member of the Tea Drinking Society, if ever there was one. My favourite is the no-fuss Breakfast kind (Earl Grey if I'm feeling particularly British), although I have been known to dip a toe or two in the more exotic flavours out there, including Darjeeling and Assam. I've tried Green tea, but frankly I find it's like drinking grass, after a cat has peed on it.
So as the dark nights and the cold frosts of winter begin to bite, I abandon my iced vanilla lattes for a more traditional beverage (mine's no sugar, but plenty of milk, thank ye kindly.) Now, I'm one of those anal types that pay attention to TV adverts and, at the cinema, depending on what the film is like, I sometimes accidentally find myself preferring the movie trailers to the actual film itself. Being British then, and tea-drinking and obsessed with watching Downton Abby on ITV, I'm surprised I haven't yet come across this Twinings advert on TV, especially considering the massive hype now surrounding the background artist's cover of The Calling's 'Wherever You Will Go.' For those who care to view, said advert is posted below:
I won't be drawn into an argument here about whose version of the song I think is better- strangely (because usually with covers, the listener much prefers the version he/she is used to rather than a recycled sound) I really enjoy listening to both versions. I recognised the song, of course, from the original top 10 hit that The Calling had with the tune all the way back in 2001, and the original song hasn't aged all that badly (see below.)
However, Charlene Soraia's version of the song, which I first heard on the car radio en route to my boyfriend's house a couple of weeks ago, really took my breath away. It helped that it was dark of course, and raining, and that I hadn't seen the bf for a couple of weeks (he'd been in Scotland, examining crabs, as you do.) I was moved without finding the song sentimental at all, and after hearing it (and since replaying it over and over again), I got on to thinking about all the other British female artists leaning towards the singer/songwriter trend right now. Singers who use their voices, accompanied by the minimum of instruments and fanfare. I'm thinking about Ellie Goulding's version of Elton John's 'Your Song' and Adele's massive summer hit 'Someone like You.' I'm talking about the break with the current tradition for performance and showmanship rather than simply getting on stage, singing with the bare minimum of interference, and then sitting back down again. Over in the US, Christina Perri's current hit single 'Jar of Hearts' is a recent American offering in a similar vein that jumps to mind.
This isn't exactly music to motivate- I can't imagine busting a gut at the gym with these ladies, but that's not the point of their recordings. Their beauty is in the simplicity of their arrangement, and isn't something that can be trampled over with your size 5 Reebok running shoes. The fact that Soraia's surprise hit (number 3 in the UK charts) originally came to the public's attention during an advert for tea shows that this is exactly the type of music to ponder over, to relax with, to come home to.
Charlene Soraia's debut album 'Moonchild' is due to be released on 21st November and I, for one, will be listening.
http://charlenesoraia.com/
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