Season 15 winner of NBC’s The Voice Chevel Shepherd delivers a powerful, solemn vocal performance on her heartfelt new song “The Letter.” Portrayed in her debut music video, the song captures the pain and hope of a young girl who has lost her mother.
“I immediately fell in love with this song as even though there’s sadness, there’s hope. I remember turning up the volume in the car and listening to it with my mom and both of us crying and in that moment we knew if we felt this way, there are so many families that may need this message in the face of grief,” said the Team Kelly Clarkson singer in a statement. “Finishing the song with ‘Keep looking up’ is a reminder that no matter what you are going through, remember there’s someone there by your side.”
Written by Julie Wood and Kellys Collins, produced by Todd Tidwell (Kelly Clarkson, Cody Johnson, Reba, Ashley Monroe) and recorded at Starstruck last year, the track solidifies Chevel’s commitment to a more traditional country sound.
In an interview with CMT, Chevel explained how the music video brought the song to life: “Seeing the song portrayed in the life of a grieving family paints a powerful picture of the healing nature of music. The young girl who acts the role of the daughter in the video is a family friend and it was beautiful to watch her embrace the lyrics and make the song her own. The lyrics are sad yet hopeful and the elements of the video really help the song come to life.”
The New Mexico native’s recent releases include a song by songwriting powerhouses Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark titled “Everybody’s Got A Story,” “Mama Got the Chair,” a call back to George Strait’s 1985 no. 1 “The Chair,” and sassy “Southern Boy.” The songs will be featured on Chevel’s upcoming, debut EP.
