I’ve always said that I can’t play “Halo” solo because it’s on cello, but I have had some requests to play it at events like weddings. Eventually I decided I just had to do something about that, so while I was out at a wedding in Tuscany last year I decided to try and make a version with my mini Martin guitar. I recorded the rehearsal and put it on YouTube, and I think it turned out really nicely. You can hear all these birds singing in the background, and even a tractor at the end.
When I decided to record it in the studio, it took quite a lot of playing around on my own to just try and find the same kind of magic that I felt the video version had. The guitar part is a repetitive motif that just goes on and on, so I think that the most important element of the song is presence. It’s not so much about dynamics but about just being in the moment, for the whole song, and trying to hold the beautiful, loving feeling of the song and to keep the focus. That’s the tricky thing about very fragile songs like this. It’s almost like you’re holding something very light, like a feather, and just being really, really tender with it.
credits
from Rarities 2,
released September 22, 2023
2. Halo - Tuscan wedding version
Performed by Ane Brun (2023) Written by Beyonce Knowles, Ryan Tedder and Evan Bogart Published by Write 2 Live Publishing/Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd Here’s Lookin At You Kidd Music/Sony/ATV Music Publishing Scandinavia B Day Publishing/EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia Produced by Ane Brun P&C 2023 Balloon Ranger Recordings AB
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supported by 6 fans who also own “Halo - Tuscan wedding version”
I love to listen to this during work, it fills me with calmness and I can almost smell the scents of the forest.
Beautiful & serene from start to finish. SilverFolfy