Candi Staton has legacy beyond compare. Responsible for some of the most memorable and best-loved soul records of all time, Staton has voice that is currently captivating a new generation of music lovers just as it did when she first oooed and ahhed onto the music scene as a soul siren in the '70s.
Staton is arguably best known for her international hit ‘You Got the Love’, which was a UK Top Ten hit in 1991, 1997 and again in 2006. In the last couple of years, two young British pop stars have paid homage to the song and Staton with their own unique renditions. Florence & the Machine’s re-titled ‘You’ve Got the Love’ became a monster hit throughout Europe while Joss Stone provided an old school funk take of it on her recent Colour Me Free CD.
Pop songstress Christina Aguilera sampled Staton’s 1972 gem ‘Best Thing You Ever Had’ in her hit ‘Here to Stay’, while her 2008 collaboration ‘Love Sweet Sound’ with British dance duo Groove Armada returned her to the Top Ten US Dance charts for the first time since 1980. It is projects like these that have allowed her to achieve what so many of her contemporaries have not; staying relevant.
Staton’s latest single is ‘Hallelujah Anyway’; a timeless, feel-good soul record typical of Staton’s overwhelmingly positive musical message, now released with remixes from Director’s Cut and Larse.
Under their Director’s Cut guise, Frankie Knuckles and Eric Kupper two versions that pair Staton’s inimitable vocal with Knuckle’s legendary house chords with stunningly effective results. Larse meanwhile goes deep with a club-ready cut that demonstrates the versatility of Staton’s vocal, sitting proudly over a beautifully melancholic piece of production.
Hallelujah Anyway is out 27th August on Defected Records - listen & pre-order
