72. Single Review of Running Up That Hill by Jenn DeSantis
Originally Published on December 8th, 2024
About the Artist
In October, I started my Blind Reaction campaigns. One of the artists who submitted was Jenn DeSantis. Her submission stuck out to me because it was IMMEDIATELY followed by a recommendation by a mutual friend and community building colleague that I check out her work. Intrigued, I pressed play on her music video for Unrequited. Needless to say, I was impressed. Floored is more appropriate. So, when I saw the announcement of a new single release, I couldn’t wait to break it down!
Jenn DeSantis is a North Carolina - based alt-pop singer/songwriter. Her first release, Someone Else, debuted in September of 2017. It showcased DeSantis’ impressive vocal capabilities paired with her dynamically percussive piano performance.
It would be two years until her next release where she would release the 5-song, 21 minute EP, Chromatic Heart featuring Unrequited.
She would release 6 more singles before releasing her next EP, Rise in 2023. Rise showed a diverse side of DeSantis’ performance as it really showed her as a capable electro-pop musician. There were significant experiments with electronic elements of her performance; particularly in sky babe and splish splash.
In 2024, DeSantis would release one single, FREAKS, which would introduce a return to her more organic sound from Chromatic Sound, but still exhibiting some experimental sound with bass and horn synths.
Jenn DeSantis is a WAVY nominated recording artist. She has been a featured performer at the Rochester Fringe Fest, Chicago’s Weat Loop Art Festival, Phoenix Pride, and Springboard Memphis Conference. She is a glowing advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community and frankly, she’s fucking awesome.
About the Song
Running Up That Hill is an alt-pop single by Jenn DeSantis. At around Five minutes, Fifteen seconds, it released on December 8th, 2024. Running Up That Hill is a cover of Kate Bush's record of the same name from her 1985 album, Hounds of Love. Bush’s song garnered moderate success upon release but in May of 2022 was featured in an episode of the popular Netflix series Stranger Things. The feature catapulted Bush’s song to the top of charts across the globe, earning more recognition than when it originally released.
About This Version
The greatest difference between this version of Running Up That Hill and Bush’s version is DeSantis has taken a minimalist approach, stripping the record down to just her vocals and a single piano performance. Her piano performance in this rendition is nothing short of sublime as she shifts from dissonant progressions; throwing a 9th into minor chords, suspensions, and then switching to arpeggiated melodies that are practically angelic.
One of the most significant and remarkable elements of her piano performance is she has reclaimed the percussive element to playing the piano; a percussion instrument. The dynamic volume control in her playing is special and unique to popular music today; in a world where digital programming forgot how important the volume of a piano can be. It’s performance is not intended to concentrate solely on melody. When done correctly, it builds rhythm and melody simultaneously. DeSantis understands this with the best of them.
Jenn DeSantis’ voice is so distinct and beautiful. It harnesses power and a sort of brokenness that resonates emotionally with every single note. Like her understanding of dynamics behind a piano, she recognizes the same performance behind her voice; knowing when to build and pull back at every single turn. She has the capability of pulling you to the edge of your seat, then shoving your back against the back of your chair. Her falsetto is silky and warm and her vibrato is so fast you almost miss it. It sort of reminds me of early Gwen Stefani performances, back when No Doubt we’re getting their start. Completely different sounding artists but the vocal control is so comparable. I don’t even think I can convey the physical control that comes with accomplishing this. I know I can’t because I can’t control my voice like that. Let me just say that it’s impressive.
The lyrics may have been written by Kate Bush 40 years ago, but DeSantis performs them like they’re her own, singing from the very core of her soul. She delivers such a profound performance, she’s taken a cover of another artist’s song and made it entirely her own. It’s a completely different performance that helps see the song in a completely different light.
Final Thoughts
I knew I would like this song when Jenn announced she would be releasing it. But the thing about extraordinarily talented musicians is you can never anticipate just how good a performance can be. So, when I hit play, I was prepared to hear greatness. I wasn’t prepared to have my soul ripped out through my nostrils like a sort of emotional mummification that had me staring out into the cloudy skies of my neighborhood on a rainy winter’s day for moments that seemed to last an eternity.
Jenn DeSantis sings and performs from the heart. If I knew nothing else about her, that would be enough. I believe she will be doing this and doing it with as much passion until she’s 80 or unable.
And frankly, she’s fucking awesome.
Running Up That Hill releases worldwide on all streaming platforms TODAY! Don’t wait. Go press play.
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