The West End star, known for her roles in productions of Oliver!, Miss Saigon and The Bridges of Madison County, has released her debut album.
This 12 track debut album from Shanay Holmes is filled with 11 classic musical theatre songs as well as one original song (the title track) and is rich in feeling and character, that showcases how she would be able to adapt her voice for a variety of characters and immerse herself in their story through the songs they sing.
Accompanied by the gorgeous sounding Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, this is an album that is filled with powerful songs about hope that can be found in different forms and is emotionally engaging from start to finish.
Holmes’s rendition of ‘The Sound of Music’ for example is as gentle and wistful as you could wish for, really engaging with the character’s joy and hopefulness in life. Her tone is pitch perfect, with her vocals being so crystal clear that it makes for a strong opening for the record.
It is only natural that a few of the songs featured on the album come from the musical Oliver! in which Shanay played Nancy to great acclaim. Her performances of ‘Where is Love?’ and ‘As Long as He Needs Me’ really capture the depth of feeling that she clearly has for the music and characters who she is familiar with. Her rendition of ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ is particularly raw and defiant, offering a wonderful build up that allows her to release a powerful final note that lingers well past the song’s ending.
Elsewhere, there are plenty of other beautiful song choices including a lovely rendition of ‘No One is Alone’ from Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods which although has a melancholy feel to it has hope threaded throughout it that Holmes knows exactly how to draw out wonderfully. There is great expression and feeling on display here.
Elsewhere, it is impossible to resist the jazzy undertones of ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ that adds a sense of playfulness to the song, provided with great personality by the performances of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra who add great warmth and texture to it. Holmesis clearly enjoying herself on this song and in turn it is utterly charming to listen to.
It is clear that this has been a cleverly curated put together album that showcases the themes of hope and finding courage in times of adversity. Her versions of ‘Maybe This Time’ and ‘Everything’s Coming Up Roses’ really stand out in this regard. There is a real rawness and power that exudes through these songs.
Meanwhile, album title track ‘Belonging’ has a real James Bond theme tune feel to it. There is a sweeping drama and theatricality to it that is impressive and compelling to listen to. It is a fitting end to an album that draws you in through the emotions and holds your attention thanks to the wonderful vocals of Shanay Holmes combined with the gorgeous orchestrations and performances of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Overall, this is an impressively strong debut album and it will be interesting to see what is next in store for Shanay Holmes in the future.
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️