January 30, 2017 | Suraya Mohamed — When Christopher Gallant was featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list, the testimonial came from none other than Elton John, who said, "When I hear his voice, I just lose it." The two even performed Gallant's song "Weight In Gold" together back in September.
Gallant performed a stripped-down version of that hit when he came to the Tiny Desk earlier this month, and preceded it with another of his best-known songs, "Skipping Stones." Written with Jhené Aiko, that tune radiates sultry intensity and passion; here, the talented Dani Ivory (who's performed as a touring member of Imagine Dragons) sits in for Aiko.
Ology, Gallant's 2016 debut, is up for a Grammy next month — for Best Urban Contemporary Album — and another of its falsetto-driven highlights opens this three-song set. On the record, "Bourbon" is produced with a funky, old-school, Prince-like drum track, but here, a steady drum beat grounds the hypnotic song just as well, if not better. Best of all, "Bourbon" gets a welcome bonus at the Tiny Desk: a guest rap by Saba, a charismatic rising star and frequent Chance The Rapper collaborator.
Ology is available now: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ology/id1109106508 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ology-Gallant/dp/B01IBLM16A
SET LIST "Bourbon" (feat. Saba) "Skipping Stones" (feat. Dani Ivory) "Weight In Gold"
MUSICIANS Gallant (vocals); Wes Switzer (bass); Dani Ivory (keys, vocals); Dylan Jones (guitar); A.J. Novak (percussion); featuring guest rapper Saba in "Bourbon."
CREDITS Producers: Suraya Mohamed, Niki Walker; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Niki Walker, Colin Marshall, Kara Frame; Production Assistant: A Noah Harrison; Photo: Claire Harbage/NPR.
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