Sometimes, it feels like all everyone can talk about is the pandemic. One can’t blame them, given that the world hasn’t seen anything remotely akin to this before. But still, it is hard not to feel broken by the way the world is unfolding this year.
Shannon Donald, a Mumbai-based singer-songwriter and vocal coach, says the same, but has an interesting take on how to deal with our darkest days. “look baby we’re going down, unless we save our happy place, our happy place”
In her non-music words, Donald explained the essence of her debut, “In a dark time for the world, there’s always a place within us that we need to keep safe, sacred & protected. It’s like a reminder to ourselves, keep the things you love close to you or you could lose them.” The thought is as beautiful as Donald’s honeyed voice, waltzing in and around equally alluring melodies.
Her sound is plush, uplifting and yet playful. Shannon tries to provide reassurance, but does so without pretending that any of it will be easy. Her music is clean and unpretentious, but doesn’t allow for a moment of boredom. Layers entangle with each other, keeping the listener curious throughout. Donald teamed up with producer Gulraj Singh to create about 4 minutes of an aural dreamscape, and it works perfectly.
Happy Place is about finding solace within ourselves. If nothing, it is a profoundly intelligent bit of advice, since the world outside certainly does not seem to be providing much to lean on. Give yourself a splash of pure pop that reminds you of how much you need you.
Verdict: Luxuriant, fresh and vivacious, Shannon’s debut is the perfect balance of grace and depth.
