Soul/R&B Singer, Rina Chanel’s newest single, the alliterative, “Sweetest Of Melody,” is from her upcoming EP, Rina. The song is a duet, featuring Senghor Robinson, that has a light R&B flavor, with a sort of 90’s feel. Chanel, who was a voice major, once attending college on a scholarship, is spotlighted in such a way that frames her as a vocal juggernaut. From a tonal standpoint, Rina has many peers, but her new single does much to enhance her credibility. For his part, Senghor brings a chivalrous masculinity to the proceedings.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/rinachanelmusic/?hl=en
Rina Chanel is a native to Virginia, specifically, the Virginia Beach area. While attending, The Governor’s School For Arts in Norfolk, Rina impressively learned how to sing In French, Italian, German, and Czech. While it happens, it’s not as common as one might presume, for someone with Chanel’s experience, to pursue a Music career. However, Rina Chanel is quite serious about her aspirations as a Recording Artist, which is indicated by the upcoming release of her semi-self-titled, EP. From what we can gather, there is a great deal of diversity to expect from this upcoming release.
Calling “Sweetest Of Melody,” a ballad might be a bit inaccurate. It certainly possesses ballad criteria, but it’s honestly more of a simple love song. The argument could be made that a love song and a ballad, are one in the same, but in music, every rule has an exception. Rina Chanel is radiant, but patient in her performance on “Sweetest Of Melody,” which seems indicative of her genuine personality. She shows the kind of discipline that was surely developed during her education. She doesn’t attack the notes, so much as she glides into them, allowing the sections to come together, organically.
The chemistry between Senghor and Rina is conceivable, but still seems a bit formal at times. Both deliver excellent performances, but while the passion isn’t missing, it’s not exactly red hot, either. The good news is that there is nothing lacking enough in “Sweetest Of Melody,” to make it feel anything less than quality. The production quality is strong, and even evokes a touch of nostalgia. The energy of the track is warm and calming, and much of this is attributed to Chanel’s angelic vocals.
As in most cases with this genre, the music is simply a backdrop, here. However, Songwriters, Syrina White, and Bennie Pearce, have come up with a subtle and pleasant arrangement to accommodate Chanel’s vocal. All of the perfect elements were utilized on the recording, to capture the song’s silky aura to great effect. Rina was responsible for arranging her own vocals, which bodes well for her, as she continues her journey. For fans of any related genre, “Sweetest Of Melody” is a relaxing and satisfying listen, that is void of any pretensions, whatsoever. You can listen to it on all streaming platforms, starting on November 6th.
Troy Johnstone