We previously featured Chris Oledude when he shared his zeitgeist message with the theatrical and anthemic opus, Turning Tables, so naturally, we were curious to follow up and explore his latest release, Rainbow Soul.
Drawing us in with the sounds of a conversation, expanding with an astral, electric guitar riff, rhythmic claps and the choral mantra, “Go rainbow, he’s a rainbow, go rainbow, she’s a rainbow…”, Chris Oledude opens Rainbow Soul with cosmic dimensionality and optimism.
The track evolves with a high frequency to invite us to connect with the most expansive version of ourselves. Chris’s words are inspiring and poetic, backed by harmonies. Rainbow Soul is a socially conscious anthem about unity, trust and shared humanity.
We learn that the song is inspired by the progressive spirit of Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition, but updated for today’s political and cultural landscape. Again, highly zeitgeist, important, and intentionally necessary.
The song blends messages of love, justice and inclusion. It calls upon us to see ourselves in one another beyond divisions of race, borders, politics and identity, whilst affirming democracy, solidarity, and activism as necessary paths towards change. We deeply connect with the funk-infused sound and expanded symbolism that also embraces LGBTQIA+ communities.
“There’s a rainbow in my soul, there’s a rainbow in your soul, there’s a rainbow in our souls…” feels so powerful and inclusive. The chord changes are joyous and emotive, and the instrumentation is sublime. There is no doubt that the song could form part of a future Broadway production. The spoken word moments add a uniqueness that cements the progressive gospel message.
What makes Rainbow Soul particularly unique is its rare fusion of personal history, political legacy and musical evolution across four decades. It was originally written in 1984 and then revived in 2025 – bridging generations by carrying the same core message.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Rainbow Soul to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the growing discography of Chris Oledude, including Turning Tables, and We Will Get Through This.