Alicia Keys is building on the emotional and heartfelt songs released so far from her upcoming album, Here. After debuting the vulnerable A$AP Rocky collaboration, “Blended Family,” her new song, “Holy War,” follows in similar footsteps, displaying Keys’ artistic integrity at an all-time high.
While “Blended Family” and “Holy War” both have powerful messages to them, “Holy War” takes a far more minimalistic approach to it than the production-heavy nature of the former – it’s a style that tends to fit her a bit better, and it’ll be interesting to see exactly how the record turns out in that regard. The “Holy War” track is ultimately a cry for change in the world, with lyrics like, “What if sex was holy and war was obscene/And it wasn’t twisted/What a wonderful dream,” and the instrumentation supplements the meaning behind the song perfectly.
“Holy War” shines with its acoustic guitar strums and finger snaps in the verses before turning into something bigger with booming drums once the chorus comes around. Throughout, Keys’ vocals remain sincere and genuine, helping drive the point home to the ears of the listener.
“Holy War” is going to be one of sixteen songs featured on Alicia Keys’ sixth overall record, Here, which is set for release on November 4th.
