Drawing us in with intricacy and atmosphere, Matt Johnson opens his piano cover of For Good with a high emotional quotient, aligned with the original version from the musical, Wicked, composed by Stephen Schwartz. We appreciate the instrumental mastery and the passion that the cover is performed with.

Needless to say, due to the release of the films Wicked and the sequel Wicked: For Good, the story of Glinda and Elphaba has been dominating pop culture for the last two years, so we appreciate the timely nature of this release. Matt Johnson showcases his passion for the sentiment of the track, and his skillful connection with the architecture of the composition.

For Good is such a culturally important song because it captures the idea that meaningful relationships change people permanently, making it one of the most widely recognized musical theatre songs about friendship, growth, and lasting impact.

Matt Johnson‘s interpretation brings this to life perfectly. He acknowledges the drama along with the emotion and truly delivers the track in a way that would make fans so happy. Most compelling is Matt’s control of rhythm as he confidently adjusts the tempo to make the performance feel unmistakably human.

Nothing sounds mechanical or overly rehearsed, and the music instead feels natural, organic and emotive. Even without lyrics or orchestration, he preserves the core sentiment of the piece, honouring Schwartz whilst presenting it in a more intimate and reflective way. It truly could fit perfectly in the film.

We are in awe, and truly have been changed. We have added For Good to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Matt Johnson, including It’s Finally Out, and Dance of Joy.

The post Matt Johnson brings quiet emotional power to his piano rendition of Wicked’s For Good appeared first on KIMU.

Drawing us in with an epic guitar performance with textured drums manifesting dramatic nuance through instrumental mastery and captivating melodics, Ebb & Nova open Call Me Queen with an alluring timbre and assertive message as they share the opening words, “You’re in my world, you walk in my shoes, I’m seeing red…”

The opus expands with theatrical dimensionality and a tale that feels extremely familiar. We love the hook, “You call me a watch, but I’m a queen…” and we are immediately reminded of the iconic tale of The Wizard of Oz.

The anthemic song is perfect for the upcoming sequel of Wicked: For Good, and we could certainly imagine Cynthia Erivo or Idina Menzel doing justice to Ebb & Nova‘s epic original version written by the insanely talented Lauren Padgett and Matthew Purpora. The rising swells, the iconic guitar solos, and the soaring vocals have us in awe!

It turns out that Ebb & Nova wrote the powerful manifesto for a live stage version of The Wizard of Oz in Maryland. Naturally, the song was made for the character of the Wicked Witch of the West, showing her not as a villain, but as a strong woman who sees herself as a queen.

The band designed the track, mixing elements of rock, pop, and folk to create their most hard-hitting track yet, with guitar sounds inspired by Black Sabbath and Coheed and Cambria. Produced at Deep End Studio with help from award-winning engineer Tony Correlli, the song also features haunting instruments like cello and theremin to manifest it’s high spiritual quotient and empowering nature!

It is no surprise that Call Me Queen was a big hit on opening night and has helped Ebb & Nova grow even more, earning spots at the Maryland State Fair and other festivals. Now for the movie version please! Someone call Cynthia Erivo‘s agent right now!

We love the track, and cannot wait to hear more from Ebb & Nova, in the meantime, we have added Call Me Queen to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of the band, including Coming Back Home!

The post Ebb & Nova temporarily satiate our anticipation for Wicked: For Good with The Wizard of Oz inspired anthem, Call Me Queen appeared first on KIMU.