Instagram/@pjmorton
Grammy-winning artist PJ Morton has started a rumor about a possible new remix of his ‘Heart of Mine’ song featuring the powerful singer Kierra Sheard and the king of neo-soul Musiq Soulchild. The leak has immediately stirred the audience and many of them are asking for the official release already.
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PJ Morton has been revealing parts of his creation process this week. He has uploaded a short clip showing the unrivalled voice of Kierra Sheard (or ‘Kiki’ as she is affectionately called), the gospel and R&B queen, singing along Morton’s ‘Heart of Mine’ accompaniment. He was pretty cryptic in his accompanying text, tagging both Sheard and Musiq Soulchild, and simply stating, ‘Remix?? What do you think?’
The video is basically an unfiltered, personal, and very close studio moment. Sheard’s voice, which is very distinct and full of emotion, comes above the chords in a very soulful and precise manner that the audience accepted instantly. The lyrics of the clip, where the singer expresses the ‘wonderful soul’ and ‘everlasting love,’ very much coincide with the song’s original theme of love and searching for the ideal partner. The audience would not want to miss this kind of preview and feel that it is a promise of great things to come.
The audience’s response to the snippet was quick and very positive. The comments section turned into a loud and impatient sign of approval. One listener who couldn’t wait, reflecting the general feeling, wrote, ‘Drop it right now please! Don’t even mix it. We will take it AS IS!’) Another person simply stated, ‘RELEASE THIS NOOOOWWWW,’ accompanied by a sea of fire emojis.
A great number of comments hailed Kierra Sheard as the most impeccable singer. One said, ‘Kiki is such a perfect sound choice for this. She has such a clear and soft voice.’ Another said, ‘She can literally do anything. Whew.’ The power of her performance was so evident. A participant said, ‘I literally gasped on the first notes. What a voice!!’
The collaboration also gave rise to humorous and witty comments about the level of musicianship involved. One fan quipped, ‘Well what did yall think she was gonna do? Drive tanks. This man whole family can sing i knew it would happen i was just waiting on WHEN.AND THIS IS THE WHEN!!!!!’ This allusion to Sheard’s remarkable family background in Gospel Music underscored the importance of the partnership.
But there were not only comments that were positive unreservedly, which, conversely, were the ones that provided an interesting and amusing exchange. A user expressed he is of the opinion that the quality of the music produced by popular artists is very similar, then he remarked, ‘In this case, everyone sounds the same these days.’ This brought a direct and playful reply from PJ Morton who responded, ‘She’s sounded like this since she was 12 though so.. lol.’ Then he got a flow of comments backing his claim that not all artist flipping the same style are not actually the same at all, especially when talking about Kiki.
Some of the fans who were asking for the new song to be released immediately, began to come up with ideas for the marketing. ‘Absolutely and drop a deluxe with 5 more tracks including the remix… start the preorders for the vinyl and release for Christmas… we in there!!!’ One fan with such ambitious plans was met with humor by Morton who pointed out that you really can’t get vinyl in 3 weeks, it takes like 2-3 months!
PJ Morton, a multi-instrumentalist and a major contributor to Maroon 5, has also carved out a personal, professional, and successful music career consisting of R&B, gospel, and soul. Collaborating with Kierra Sheard who is the leading figure in contemporary gospel, and Musiq Soulchild who is a neo-soul key player, is a fusion of different but coexisting genres. The teaser alludes to a remix that makes the gospel-infused soul production that all three artists are masters of.
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The audience’s online feedback couldn’t be clearer: after getting just a little sample, the listeners want to be given the whole thing. The issue now is whether this recording session will produce an officially released song or merely remain a beloved titillating piece. Considering the huge vocal power displayed and the ecstatic public reaction, it might be that holding back the finished work will be the real surprise after all. For now, the sash of a teaser is still the most vocal evidence of the eternal spell cast by pure and soulful talent. The artist Musiqcity is also known for his collaborative work.