BITTER:SWEET’S LATEST SINGLE “RISE” IS A EPIC, MOVING AND HAUNTING POP TRIBUTE TO THE UNBREAKABLE POWER OF LOVE
Shana Halligan, the original singer-songwriter and remaining member of the former duo Bitter:Sweet, has crafted a sweeping epic of a song with “Rise.” Both highly emotionally gripping and charged, “Rise” is heartbreaking and manages to be triumphant, seeking to make that elusive connection with a loved one who is dying.
In this case, it was Halligan’s father (GRAMMY winner and Blood, Sweat, and Tears founder Dick Halligan. Father and daughter shared a closeness, but unfortunately, before he died, Dick was pulling away and distancing himself from Shana. Without his music, according to Shana, Dick lost his identity. She tried to travel to see him in Italy, and unfortunately, their goodbye never came.
Since Shana Halligan is a Los Angeles-born artist, she was also a witness to the beyond-devastating wildfires, and as a result, “Rise” took another meaning and perspective for her. Halligan says she hopes people can find the inner strength to be the phoenix, metaphorically speaking, to “rise from the ashes.”
A good friend and musical collaborator on this track was Serj Tankian from System Of A Down. Tankian did an excellent and magnificent job of creating stirring and string arrangements. Halligan said Tankian and her father also shared a special bond. So, having him contribute to the single gave it more weight and substance.
Shana Halligan is a powerhouse of vocalists, and “Rise” is the perfect vehicle to showcase her dramatic golden pipes that soar and impress.
The single is a bit of an anomaly but a much welcome and refreshing work harkening back to the grandeur of old Hollywood and the vivid cinematic scope of James Bond movies.
“Rise” offers timeless themes of familial love and current events tied in a unique, impactful, and unforgettable way.