Genre-fluid Montreal soul outfit Chiiild, aka Yonatan Ayal, has teamed up with singer-songwriter Jensen McRae on an updated version of his song “Gone.” The result is a beautifully harmonized duet, with McRae’s smooth vocals complimenting Chiiild’s to create an expansive, even orchestral feel.
Of the collab, Chiiild said, “‘Gone’ featuring Jensen is a reminder that there are always two sides to every story.” McRae chimed in, noting, “I was so excited when I got connected with Chiiild for this collab. He has such a special, rich voice and his music exists at the nexus of multiple genres I love. As soon as I heard the first version of ‘Gone’ I had so many ideas — the themes of miscommunication and emotional distance are things that I think a lot of people can relate to but don’t want to admit it. It was such a thrill to hear it all come together. I don’t have any music by myself that sounds like this and I can’t wait for people to dive into it — it’s a perfect song for the summer.”
Speaking to Uproxx about his intentions as an artist, Chiiild said earlier this year, “I’m here to translate what has happened in the streets and try to immortalize it on record and say, ‘Hey you know what? Tomorrow’s going to be better.’”
Chiiild’s debut album, Hope For Sale, arrives 7/23.