“SHINE ON”: Dennis Sy featuring Natalie Jean and Darick DDS Spears – meant to enlighten, uplift and unite!

The track “SHINE ON” is the collaborative effort of hip-hop emcee and producer, Darick DDS Spears, the jazz-pop singer-songwriter, Natalie Jean, and award-winning pop-rock artist, Dennis Sy. That we’re dealing with a quality crew is clear from the outset. Dennis is a Grammy member, Natalie has made the Grammy ballot twice and Spears has just had one of his songs nominated for the Global Peace Award in Hop-hop.

Together these three acclaimed and lauded artists deliver us a song that’s meant to enlighten, uplift and unite our spirits in a crusade against division and differences of any discriminating kind. The song itself evokes numerous emotions and thoughts right from the very first verse:

“Give me a second to catch my wind
Where do I begin?
Some say it’s a sin because of my skin.
Some say it’s us men who need to repent.
Showing hatred towards one another with no conviction.
Just listen!
I’m tired of these divisions…”

It’s all urban pop perfection, with the sound of an inescapable potential hit that doesn’t get boring, no matter how often you hit the repeat button. Lyrically serious, the track comes accompanied by a frothy bubbling and bouncy soundtrack and the feeling that all might just be all right with the world, if only for a few minutes of dazzlingly executed song craft like this. Listen, learn and love, it’s quite simple if you just follow the chorus instructions:

“Shine on…Shine Through
Gotta give a little bit of you
For a better world & a better day
You know it’s true
When it all comes down to you
The time is now for us to change”

The question is, can we or will we? Music can only help to induce us into doing something, but WE actually need to do it. Darick DDS Spears, Natalie Jean and Dennis Sy lay it on the line with brilliantly infectious verses and choruses. The production is augmented by an organically driven acoustic beat, which helps give the song a cool groove that segues seamlessly into soulful choral chants providing most of the melodic and uplifting moments.

“SHINE ON” has the potential to please a wide range of pop and hip-hop fans. It’s a very catchy tune and it transcends a few different genres, so maybe people will be more open to it. The key of course is in the song’s musical reiteration and the conscious nature of its lyrics. The three oscillating performing styles by Darick DDS Spears, Natalie Jean and Dennis Sy add just enough interesting sparks to light the proverbial musical fire and build an appealing group identity that almost anyone can relate to.