Giada Valenti, “GRACIAS A LA VIDA” (2018): One Track Mind

PRESTON FRAZIER - somethingelsereviews.com - February 2018

Italian singer Giada Valenti walks a delicate line with her forthcoming take on “Gracias a La Vida.” Sung in Spanish, the track has a rich and storied history, but Valenti and producer/engineer Jorge Velasco don’t attempt to copy what has gone before, making “Gracias a La Vida” uniquely her own. 

Giada Valenti was inspired to re-interpret this classic composition from the pioneering Nueva Cancion legendVioleta Parra of Chile by personal battles with pancreatic tumors. During her hospital stay, Valenti thought of the wonderful things she had in her life and how she should continue to express gratitude for her life’s journey. “Gracias a La Vida” was the perfect choice. Boasting a title that translates as “thanks to life” in English, the song touches on family, friends and those little things which make everything worthwhile. 

After major surgeries and a return to health, Valenti and Velasco worked with a core group of musicians who were able to convey her optimism, gratitude and joy through muted acoustic guitars, piano, Hammond Organ, percussion and drums. Perhaps this is an example of what pure joy and gratitude should sound like. Giada Valenti’s “Gracias a La Vida,” due on February 23, 2018, is indeed a worthy tribute to life. 

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