Golden: My Unhinged Vocal Analysis
HELLO EVERYONE! And welcome to my very, and I mean very, unhinged vocal analysis on Huntr/x’s new single “Golden” (which is long overdue, I meant to post this when it actually came out but shit hit the fan, so HERE IT IS!)
This song is…holy shit. It’s got a different vibe to the girls than other songs like “How It’s Done”, “One Bullet”, “Whisper, Whisper”, etc. and honestly? I love it. This new sound really compliments them, and I’m not saying this as a fan but as an aspiring musician/singer.
Which is WHY I am analyzing all of the girls! Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Yes, I know Zoey and Mira don’t get to do a lot for this song. And according to Zoey this was intentional on their end because this song was really meant for Rumi (coming out song??). But HOLY SHIT I still love what she’s doing with her voice here.
Zoey, being the main rapper of the group, doesn’t very often get parts that are softer. More vulnerable. And I love that she does here, because as Mira said in their press release interview, this song is the story of all of them and how they came together as a group. It’s a really deep song, and there’s bound to be an adjustment to what she’s used to doing.
This is very subtle, idk if yall heard it, but Zoey does use SOME vocal fry. It’s not a lot, but it’s there. I love that touch because it gives her voice some edge to balance out her light, falsetto voice.
Zoey, if you’re reading this, CAN WE GET MORE OF THIS SIDE OF YOU? Seriously I need to hear it, it’s so underrated 😭
Did I ever mention that I think Mira should release a solo album? Because I genuinely think she should. I honestly wanna hear more of her.
I love that Mira’s voice is kind of a mix of Zoey and Rumi’s in a way. It’s got this really light breathy tone like Zoey but also a bit deeper like Rumi’s (though, Rumi’s voice is the deepest of all of them).
I love that she spaces out the verse, and on every word she changes the pitch. It goes up, like a rollercoaster lol. Also AHHHHH that voice crack at the end of “paid” YES GIRL. I love it when singers do that, it’s such an amazing style choice to do. First, because it adds a bit more spice to your tone. And second, it can be used to express emotion to your audience. It’s a double edged sword, really. I always do that for fun when I practice my songs for choir (in private, my director doesn’t like it when we do it in class, it genuinely pisses her off and I end up getting yelled at).
Also side note but the lyrical choice for her verse is so fucking great because it’s literally just her calling out her family’s bullshit. RESPECT. I stan a petty queen!
And now. Last, but certainly not least, we have the lead vocalist herself, Rumi!
I decided to put Rumi last on this one because I really did want to shed some light on Zoey and Mira’s vocals first before getting to Rumi. Since she’s still the lead by default. Meaning, that there is gonna be a LOT to say about her here, so BUCKLE UP BITCHES.
Rumi has a similar technique to Zoey with the vocal fry, and light, breathy tone. Which doesn’t really surprise me because this song is supposed to be more emotionally driven than a lot of their other songs. I love how she’s taking it easy the first few lines, slowly building up her passages. Specifically her passaggio. Which is what most vocal coaches call the “mix range”. She finally reaches her head voice when she belts “I believe” (which btw, THE VIBRATO AGHHHHHH)
The main chorus is where Rumi shines the most (which is pretty obvious to me) because not only is she mixing, but she’s also WAY into her third passage and has no tension singing up to a motherfucking A5. And that, my friends, is ONE OF THE HARDEST NOTES TO SING ESPECIALLY IN A CHORUS. Most singers do not do that, at least not often, because the note is vocally taxing if sang regularly. But Rumi?? Shes doing it without BREAKING A FUCKING SWEAT.
Dare I say, this woman is not human /j
Also I just wanna give a huge appreciation to her lower range, because the lower notes she does are so beautiful. GAH I love it when singers do this! It just conveys more emotion in their voices to the audience. One of the best things about Rumi’s voice is how far it can go. I love me a mezzo soprano queen 💜
Which is why I’m actually concerned about the future of this song, and how it’s going to be performed on stage during tours. Like I said before, this song is very exhausting vocally, and I really do hope Rumi gets the rest she needs so desperately. Because if she performs this song in EVERY show, she’ll end up possibly losing the upper half of her voice either temporarily or even permanently because of the damage it can inflict on her vocal cords. I would hate to lose such an amazing singer like her 😭
In conclusion: HUNTR/X DONT MISS. Seriously please release more songs like this I MUST BE FED.