Have you been watching NBC's American Song Contest? The singing competition hosted by Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson has every state and U.S. territory competing Eurovision style to see which area can provide the best original song in America. While many unknowns are getting a chance to shine, the competition has also seen its share of well-known artists — including Michael Bolton, Macy Gray and Jewel — take the stage weekly. Last night, Washington state got its turn and none other than the soulful Allen Stone put on for his home state.
Allen's contribution to the competition is the soulful song "A Bit Of Both." If you're familiar with Allen's work (and if you're an avid SoulBounce reader, you most certainly are), then you know his sweet spot is mixing heartfelt lyricism with soulful grooves. "A Bit Of Both," of course, has that quality as he evokes a universal experience over a guitar groove.
"How come some days you're living / And other days it's death? / How come everything that's given / Somehow always leaves a debt?" he questions on the chorus. "How come joy needs sorrow and reason don't rhyme? / Until you're horizontal, life ain't a straight line / Yeah, maybe we're all a little bit of / Everything combined."
For his showstopping performance of the song, Allen stood solo on a stage backlit by red light. He was soon joined by a chorus of singers who channeled the spirit of a choir and swayed along to the track. But the focus was mainly on the singer-songwriter, whose talents we're on display in their full glory.
The song was strong enough to top the jury vote and move him to the semi-finals, so this won't be the last we see of Allen Stone on American Song Contest. You can, however, show him some love by running up spins of the song on streaming services. Get a head start by pressing play below and catching his amazing performance of the track from last night.
