“What Child Is This” is one of the most beautiful, yet haunting, Christmas tunes ever to exist. Peter Hollens’ rendition of the song is one of the most gorgeous versions yet.
Peter Hollens is a singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur from Eugene, Oregon. He’s been involved in a cappella music since 1999 when he helped form “On The Rocks,” University of Oregon’s a cappella group.
After competing on NBC’s “The Sing Off” in 2010, Hollens created a home studio to record and produce albums and YouTube videos. He has also recorded for Sony and Epic records. On top of all of this, Hollens has released his own album and has over 1.7 million YouTube followers.
This particular performance has captivated hundreds of thousands of people. With just one voice, Hollens creates the sound of an entire choir.
The video below starts as Hollens sits on a church pew as he begins to sing “What Child Is This.” His head bowed as he humbly sings the beautiful melody. Soon, the camera begins to back up and pan out. He is seated next to multiple duplicates of himself as the harmonies begin to layer.
With the use of layering vocal recordings and computer effects, Hollens creates an incredible one-man choir inside a beautiful church. The melodies continue, there are no instruments to be found, only Hollen’s layered voice. Soon, there are “six singers” in the church pews.
The song “What Child Is This” dates back to 1865 when it was written by William Chatterton Dix. According to Wikipedia, “the questions posed in the lyrics reflect what the shepherds were possibly pondering to themselves when they encountered him, with the rest of the carol providing a response to their questions.”
The beautiful and simply lit church is the perfect background for such an emotional Christmas tune.
After Hollen’s finishes with perfect pitch and key, one by one they begin to leave the pews. It’s not long until he is left alone to reflect on the meaning of the song and the Christmas holiday. Soon, the video cuts to an inside look and chat with Peter Hollens and his young son, Ashland James.
Peter Hollen’s talent and creativity are bursting at the seams. Watching this beautiful video is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.
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