UK-based singer/songwriter Alutepena Hughes-John has spent a lifetime perfecting her craft but continues to grow as an artist with each and every musical release. Soulful, heartfelt, and powerful, her vocal tambour and the passion with which she performs can be compared to a young Aretha Franklin in so many ways. Her lyrics read like poetry as she strives to embody the human condition itself within everything she writes, leaving fans in tears after taking in her work. Her latest single “The Burial” proves no exception to this rule as she bares her soul in telling her story of a relationship lost and the feelings that remain.
A dramatic string introduction accompanied by a soft piano accompaniment begins the piece as suspense builds. We hear the artist’s vocals appear soon after, humming along to the track before quickly beginning the narrative with the opening line “Burying your heartache, burying your pain, burying the times we had, burying the shame.” Through not only her lyrics, but her impassioned delivery, we feel her sense of disappointment and grief as she finds a way to rebuild after a seven-year partnership has finally run its course.
Rather than ruminating on the negative, Hughes-John takes the approach of giving respect to her feelings and growing from them in a healthy way. Far from a pitty party, the ballad serves as an empowering documentation of her commitment to becoming her best self and a relatable guide to navigating a universal situation. We feel a sense of inspiration with every verse to grow in our own ways, with the help of her words.
Written by Nick Gumas
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