Review by Matt Wong & Staff
The W.A M. Awards celebrate the year’s most outstanding independent artists from around the world in multiple genres and categories. "Best Song" and "Best Album" nominations were based on Artistry, Musicianship, Originality, Professionalism, Diversity, and Excellence. W.A.M. stands for "We Are the Music Makers.' Belle Lundon's song "My Soul to Keep'" was the 2020 W.A.M. Award Winner for Best Song in the Christian / Gospel / Inspirational music category.
“My Soul to Keep” begins with a moving piano playing a repeating harmonized minor chord arpeggio. After a few bars of this hypnotic intro, Lundon’s vocals enter for the first chorus. The minimal arrangement of vocals and piano places the spotlight on Lundon’s impeccable vocal ability. As the song moves towards the first verse, the piano part becomes fuller to grow the arrangement. Along the way, organ, and drums creep and gradually build the song up to its chorus.
The highlight of the chorus is a grand call and response arrangement between Lundon and a choir of background singers against a tight groove and organ pads. As the song moves through its form, it continues to expand and contract dynamically to draw emotion out of the listener. The song reaches its climax on the bridge, where Lundon stretches her vocal chops to the heavens before ending with one final chorus, which begins with the fire of the full arrangement, and gradually reduces to vocals, and piano.
Lyrically, the song exudes honesty, making highly relatable and down to earth. Take a listen to the video
“My Soul to Keep” by Belle Lundon is a masterpiece of songwriting, arranging, and performance. The song has memorable melody, which is effectively shaped by the simple yet powerful arrangement. Lundon, whose strong control over her vocal technique allows her to go from a whisper to a belt, delivers the song with a performance that will leave listeners hooked, captivated, and breathless. Lundon is an artist, singer, and musician to pay close attention to as she rises to the top of the Christian music genre.
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About Belle Lundon
Houston, Texas’s own BelleLundon is a passionate and talented singer/songwriter/actress that pours her heart into every performance……
BelleLundon is an American pop/soul and inspirational singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana until moving to Houston, Texas. She then returned to her hometown to complete high school. She is a proud graduate from McMain Magnet High School and the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. After graduating, she attended the conservatory, California Institute of the Arts, in Valencia, California. She received many starring roles in productions such as Constance in King John, Bertha in Joe Turner's Come & Gone, and Lady W. in Lady Windermere's Fan. During her second year of college, she tried out for American Idol in her hometown of New Orleans and made it to the Hollywood Finals. At that same time, her talent agent had set up an audition for the role of Sela, in For One Night. With that role she would star opposite Raven Simone and Aisha Tyler. Instead of competing on American Idol, she opted to work with director Ernest Dickerson in the Lifetime Network film.
Belle continued studying at the nation's leading performance arts schools including The Sanford Meisner Center in Los Angeles. With experience under her belt, she then shot commercials for Old Navy, Discovery Channel's Shark Week & had a leading role in both a Sketchers and Apple Music campaign. Along with commercial work, she has also filmed several independent features.
In 2013, after completing a film called The Secret Life of Dorks, she moved back to Houston where her family resides. Although her acting career was going well, she was still fueled by a passion to sing and write songs. Belle began recording her lyrics and posted a song called, My Soul to Keep on YouTube.
In 2016, she entered her music in a competition sponsored by Coca Cola to be flown to Harlem, New York for a YouTube series. She ended up winning the competition and performed the cover, He Wants it All by Forever Jones, on the world-famous Apollo Theater Stage.
She now resides in Los Angeles but still travels often to Houston where she fellowships at Lakewood Church. She continues to write songs and performs monthly with the Lakewood young adult team within the church. She hopes to continue creating and pursuing a lifestyle of integrity, success and happiness.
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