If there is one classic song that everybody knows, it has got to be Leonard Cohen’s beautifully written ‘Hallelujah’.
The song dates from 1994 and hundreds of artists have put their own touch to the song, but it this incredible rendition by a 16-year-old teen and an amazing choir that is possibly one of the best in years.
The 16-year-old solo artist McKenna Breinholt has the voice of an angel.
According to many musicians, ‘Hallelujah’ is one of the most difficult songs to perform, yet McKenna sings it so effortlessly and with incredible passion and technique.
The talented singer has been featured in a number of videos and has an instantly recognizable and stunning voice. And even though her vocal talent shines the most, McKenna is also proficient in playing the guitar and piano.
McKenna has also found her perfect musical match in the Cinematic Pop Orchestra.
The amazing group adds a bit of an experimental and alternative choir touch to a number of songs, and their rendition of ‘Hallelujah’ is just simply amazing. The name is a reference to their theme: combining fan-favorite pop and rock songs with sweeping instrumental music.
The group even auditioned for the 11th season of America’s Got Talent and received a full sweep of four yesses, but were forced to withdraw from the competition because of scheduling conflicts.
Nonetheless, the Cinematic Pop Orchestra and McKenna have made their voices heard around the world, quite literally.
‘Hallelujah’ is one of their most viewed performances on YouTube with almost six million views. Their popularity is slowly but surely spiking, and we’ll soon be able to speak of a classical crossover phenomenon.
The whole performance is great from the start to the beginning, but you can definitely notice that it starts to build up slowly. The timeless song by Cohen is performed brilliantly with notes from the piano and the strings hitting the air, while McKenna mesmerizes the audience with her vocal talent.
Props must also be given to the conductor of the entire orchestra Rob Gardner who remains calm and has perfect control of the orchestra.
One of the most exciting moments in the performance is the moment when the entire choir starts singing along and gives McKenna some beautiful back-up vocals.
You can see and hear it happening at around the two-minute mark, and it truly brings this already brilliant performance to a new level.
Fun fact: most of the performances of Hallelujah are actually a more condensed version with a few missing lyrics, but the Cinematic Pop Orchestra decided to do the song full honor and perform the entire version. The last verse is often forgotten but is definitely just as moving and powerful as the rest of the song.
The performance was recorded back in 2015 and has since been seen all around the world, even getting coverage on local television stations. There is just so much that is special about this performance, from McKenna’s beautiful voice to the orchestra arrangement from Cinematic Pop.
“I had never heard this song before I heard McKenna sing it months ago,” one person on YouTube commented. “I salute Rob Gardner for capturing the essence of McKenna’s rendition, then amplifying it with his arrangement with full orchestra and choir. I am truly humbled by what I hear.”
“That is the best of music, it never ends. Because always are talented people that created new wonderful versions, and even improved ones. Congratulations, and thank you for such beautiful work,” Elio Inostroza added.
What an absolutely amazing performance! Be sure to check out this talented young singer’s voice and the amazing orchestra in the video below.
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