Manny King John
I’d like to wish Jennifer Hudson all the best. Hudson is wearing her heart on her sleeve on “Burden Down,” during a time when she is tremendously heavy-hearted.
Name: Jennifer Hudson
Representing: Chicago, Illinois
Genre: R&B/Soul
For fans of: Fantasia, Beyoncé
Single from: N/A
Produced by: N/A
Song of the Day: January 17, 2017
Label(s): Epic Records
Jennifer Hudson, an American singer, actress, and a spokesperson released “Burden Down,” the second single from her fourth-coming fourth full-length album on December 12, 2017, through Epic Records. The first single was called “Remember Me.” It was released on March 3, 2017, through Epic Records. The video for “Burden Down,” directed by Sam Lecca, has also been released. At this time, no definitive release date or album title has been made public. However, Epic Records have revealed that the album is due to be released sometime in 2018.
Someone plays piano staccato as a wet cement floor comes into view. Before long the camera reveals that Jennifer Hudson is the one tickling the ivories. She’s wearing a white sundress. A white faux fur coat covers her left shoulder. Her right shoulder is free from burden. Hudson is wearing a diamond heart necklace around her neck. To the left of the diamond heart, her name, “Jennifer,” is written in white gold. It sits right next to her heart. She inhales and begins to sing the first verse,
“I’m a river, I keep running on. I’m a pillar you got used to leaning on.”
Before she continues, Hudson looks at the camera, “Underneath it, there’s a person.” She looks back down at the piano keys and continues singing,
“I’m a woman and I’m hurting ’cause I feel like I’m holding up the world.”
Then, Hudson launches into the chorus with an impressive vibrato present in her voice,
“When I lay this burden down. Who’s gonna take it up for me? When you run me in the ground. That’s the day you’re gonna see. For all I’ve done, I’m alone. Just for a moment can I not be strong? So how ’bout now, oh can I lay this burden down?”
She sings with remarkable passion. This time, she’s playing a legato arrangement on piano. Hudson carries on like this until the bridge of the song. At this point, the camera has zoomed out and begins hovering around Hudson while she sings, revealing that Lecca has chosen to record the video inside a vacant warehouse. It’s a sharp-witted touch. Hudson’s natural voice is impeccable. But, her voice becomes absolute inside a vacated warehouse.
That becomes most evident at the end of this video when Hudson kicks her vehement singing up another couple notches. You’ll have to watch the video to see what I mean. Hudson sets aside her most impassioned notes for the final chorus.
Hudson’s world swivelled upside down over the past few years. I want to be extra sensitive regarding Jennifer Hudson’s difficult situation. I will not be restating what happened to her because the narrative is painful, traumatic, and heartbreaking. For those who want to know what happened: Please, check out the following article on People.com.
I’d like to wish Jennifer Hudson all the best. Hudson is wearing her heart on her sleeve on “Burden Down,” during a time when she is tremendously heavy-hearted. In spite of that, she is moving forward. I predict that her forthcoming full-length album will be her most potent album yet. And, her most successful.
