Bounce-Worthy talent Gallant has accomplished much in short amount of time and is now on the verge of releasing his debut album Ology. The standout cut "Weight In Gold," along with its subsequent crop of remixes and emotionally-charged visuals, played a huge part in introducing the rising star to a new audience. And though the L.A.-based singer continues to garner praise and attention with new music like his Jhené Aiko duet "Skipping Stones," "Weight In Gold" remains a favorite. So when we heard that he recorded a new version with British soul singer/songwriter Seal, we couldn't hit the play button fast enough.
The rework is the second installment of Gallant's live performance series In The Room, a partnership with Spotify. While they stay true to the melodic formula of the original, the stirring performance offers a revamped take on the soon-to-be-classic. Mournful notes from a bluesy guitar and hits of fuzzy percussion set the stage with an assist from a stellar instrumental crew. Gallant temporarily holsters his penetrating falsetto, allowing Seal's smoky vocals to bless the first verse and chorus with subdued, yet smoldering intensity. When Gallant resumes his lead duties, he dives in with smooth, tender tones that morph into an impassioned wail that will not be denied. The contrast of vocal styles adds color and texture, but more importantly, it's pretty darn hot.
The young artist recently expressed his esteem of the British crooner in an interview with i-D, saying, "Seal was the guy that made it okay to straddle genres—he just absolutely refused to conform. Hearing his lyrics as a kid completely transformed my idea of being an artist, being honest in what you write, being black... all of it... and to be even standing in the same room as him let alone singing a song I wrote with the dude was utterly unreal." Seems the admiration is mutual as Seal speaks out at the end of the video, dubbing Gallant an "incredible meteoric talent" and proclaiming himself "his biggest fan."
Catch the phenomenal pairing below as well as Gallant's latest single "Bourbon." If you've been missing out on this gifted artist, there's no time like the present to play catch-up. Get lost in the awesomeness of his SoundCloud page, pre-order Ology ahead of its April 6th release date and head to his website to view his upcoming tour dates. You should also peep the first episode of In The Room with his recent tourmate Sufjan Stevens joining him for a breathtaking rendition of Stevens' "Blue Bucket of Gold."
