SONG REVIEW 🎵📝 John McKivergan - I've Got to Believe



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John McKivergan - I've Got to Believe
Christian/Gospel
NH, US
Overall Impression: Christian songwriter John McKivergan works through the traumatic loss of a loved one, with his release of “I’ve Got to Believe”. Performed and produced by the multi-talented Kevin O'Shaughnessy, this somber track features a rich and dynamic electro-pop arrangement, populated by lush cinematic strings and dramatic percussion alongside shimmering bells and delicate piano. Powerful and expressive vocals are amplified by the haunting score, while McKivergan's incredibly emotional lyrics attempt to wade through the grief and try to make sense of the tragic death of a child. Contemporary Christian fans can find John McKivergan's "I've Got to Believe" available now as a single, on all major music platforms.

 Strongest Point(s): Excellent arrangement, solid mix. Nice intro, haunting sound design that sets the stage. Great cinematic, dark electro-pop sound that underscores the gravity of the piece. Outstanding dynamic shape throughout. Fantastic string and piano choices. Nice use of percussion elements. Tremendous melodic content with a terrific theatrical quality to it that will have listeners hanging on every note. Strong vocal performance and production, good clarity and range. Sits front and center in the mix. Amazing lyrical content, incredibly painful subject matter handled realistically. This serves as a dialogue between the everyday grief and the "leap of faith" towards longterm acceptance. Unflinchingly raw, you do a brilliant job of conveying the emotional and physical toll, as well as the eventual spiritual resolution. All in all, this is a wonderfully cathartic track that should go a long way towards helping others cope with such a tragic loss. It should do quite well with CCM audiences, particularly those with a taste for cinematic electro-pop.

 Target Audience Appeal: Fans of Pop/Rock, Pop, Electro-Pop, Christian Pop, Contemporary Christian Music

Artist target suggestions: Owl City, Colton Dixon, Matthew West, Tauren Wells, For KING & COUNTRY, Switchfoot, Building 429, Jon Guerra, JUDAH, Sajan Nauriyal, Neon Feather, Apollo LTD, Colorvault, Kye Kye

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About the Reviewer:
Steven Azami is a multi-instrumentalist with over 25 years of experience in the music industry. Both as a touring/session player and as a producer, his career has spanned nearly every genre from bluegrass to jazz, from rock to reggae. In addition, his work as a music educator has allowed him to cultivate and foster talent within the next generation of musical explorers.

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