Celestine Liu

Celestine Liu – Rain On The Window

Written by: Lee Callaghan

As I get to know the music from Celestine Liu, I am consistently surprised at the effective marriage of pop melodies and harmonies which branch outside of the contemporary major scale. As I have had the privilege of reviewing her Pop-infused single Precious, I am eager to draw comparisons, with her latest offering Rain On the Window. Following the trend of stepping outside her formula of blending Eastern and Western melodies in a pop single, Rain On The Window builds off the vibe Celestine Liu has developed on Precious. Although Rain On The Window is a down-beat love song ballad, it still captures the commercial tangibility of a major pop single release. Ok, so we have established that Rain On the Window is catchy, has a dynamic hook, and follows certain songwriting structures which can make this a bonafide hit, but this is where the comparisons end. From her debut EP Liunique, Celestine Liu has affirmed her position as a vocalist who can harmonize over many melody structures. Her ability to change keys to hit the high overtones while complimenting the song, and maintaining cohesion are some of her strongest attributes. And, as she moves away from this style, and matures as a songwriter and vocalist we still are witnessing these majestic overtones ringing through over a deep bass funk with an RnB elegance. The discerning and diverse syncopation on the main beat creates a flow onto which allows Celestine Liu to explore many vocal phrases and concepts as she leaves the listener hanging on each cadence. Her ability to resolve each of these slightly divergent phrases with tender affection to the melody ensures the listener remains focussed and entertained throughout this track. Her border-line operatic vocal approach fills the listening space making Rain On The Window a full-sounding, dynamic track worthy of any hall, club, or headphone mix.

Rain On The Window resolves around the theme of love and comfort; finding safety and connection with the subject matter in the song. This is well-executed as a love song, as this track can relate to a very cast audience, as it centers on empathy, and relation. The wonderful use of rich metaphor presented as Celestine Liu asks the question; “Don’t You?” throughout each stanza is a powerful tool used to connect to her listener. Resolving this narrative around comfort and safety as you watch the Rain On The Window pulls the imagery together and gives this song its power as a love ballad. Rain On The Window would make a perfect single for Celestin Liu as we have been mesmerized by her single Precious and now pulled under her spell, as she softly, tenderly, and maybe a little sultry swoons us with Rain On The Window. As a reviewer of this track, I am at a disadvantage to find fault with this track, as I have been hypnotized by the elegance and sophistication of Celestine Liu’s work in general. Although being a fan of her debut material, this does not impede my ability to embrace the growth this artist is showing, and the cross-genre ability she possesses as the industry takes notice. A wonderfully, enjoyable track that will be enjoyed by a diverse audience.

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Celestine Liu – Rain On The Window

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