Tenielle Neda has been on my radar for almost a year now, haunting some of my favourite Christian playlists on streaming platforms. Vocally, she has one of the most soothing voices I have listened to in quite some time; yet, it wasn’t until her recent EP that I fell in love with her style and approach to worship music.
So far, the Australian singer-songwriter has dropped two Christian EPs: Mercy (2019) and What Is My Hope (2021). I am fond of the Mercy EP and maybe one day I will talk about it. Today, let’s discuss her most recent project.
Thematically, What Is My Hope EP speaks about the longing, hope and wonder that fills the heart of a believer while meditating on our salvation and our eventual reunion with Jesus Christ.
As one would expect, the title track ‘What Is My Hope’ captures the above description beautifully, beginning with warm keys and strings that steadily build up to a satisfying chorus.
With impactful lyrics like, “…if we live, we live for the Lord and if we die, we die to the Lord…” quoting directly from Romans 8:14; this song kicks off the EP in splendid fashion.
‘Dreaming of Eden’ is a graceful waltz. Its soothing strings and keys create a serene and peaceful atmosphere that matches the song's lyrical theme. This atmosphere allows Neda’s voice to shine as she sings about longing for the return of Christ.
‘Miraculous Salvation’ and ‘Perfect Peace’ share similarities both in sound and lyrical direction. Sonically, they are the only songs on the EP that bring the guitar to the forefront.
While the former takes a folk approach and speaks about the boundless love of God which he expressed through the death and resurrection of Christ; the latter leans more into folk-pop as Neda encourages us to trust the Lord, drawing inspiration from Phillipians 4:6-7.
This EP is brought to a close in swell fashion by a wonderful track titled ‘With My Lips’. Needless to say, this is my favourite tune on this EP. A progressive tune that starts as a simple piano ballad and ends with lush and vibrant strings. It is a simple song of praise to God with sparse yet impactful lyrics that deserve to be sung repeatedly.
On streaming platforms, this is where the EP ends. However, on Tenielle Neda’s Bandcamp page, there is a bonus track. ‘Jesus You Come’ was originally released in late November of 2020 and it features Jon Guerra, another artist that I love. The song is a celebration of the birth of Jesus and it ties in seamlessly with its period of release.
It would be wrong to be silent about the production quality of this EP. Usually, I would talk about it in between paragraphs, but I believe it deserves a section of its own. As I mentioned earlier, Neda crafted this EP to explore a specific set of themes and to create a unique atmosphere.
This vision would not have been realised without the choices made in production. Jon Guerra, who produced this EP, deserves praise for his work on this project.
It’s difficult for me to find any faults in this body of work. Also, I don’t believe that it is necessary to fish for negatives while writing a review. Still, I am convinced that Tenielle Neda has only scratched the surface of the expression of her gifts and I can’t wait for a full-length album from her.
Tags: Singer-Songwriter, Folk Pop, Indie Pop
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That’s it for today, folks.
Until next time.
Keep listening!
RATING: 4.1/5