On Oct. 9, London, Ontario singer Emanuel comes out with his new single, “Black Woman” where he celebrates, and worships the black woman so overtly, one is transported by the honesty, and the beauty of his words. Emanuel specified that the song wasn’t written to fit the current political situation with the Black Lives Matter movement, given that it was written a year ago. But how beautifully sad that the song seems fitting for every year.
photo: Matt Barnes
A soft heavenly acoustic guitar riff transports you from the very beginning. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, I crank Emanuel’s newest single to the highest volume and walk down the street, tuning everything and everyone out as the London, Ontario singer speaks poetry.
“Superwoman, powеr comes from the sun
Lovely woman, my only one
Mother of creation, all the nations
Sing your praise without knowing”
The song only has three instruments: an acoustic guitar, an array of violins, and Emanuel’s velvet, purring voice to carry the poetic words.
As the track runs its course, and the singer gets to the bridge, what started off as a somewhat acapella-like song with just a guitar accompanying his voice went on to become a melodic heaven, with the violins picking up with Emanuel’s high notes.
“How do you love?
How do you love the way you do?” He asks her, as he realizes he will never be worthy of such an untouchable, goddess of a woman. How he can never love someone as perfect as she, though he tries.
photo: Matt Barnes
It is an ode to the black woman, a woman so often overlooked, and debased. A woman, as we have seen this year unfortunately, who seeks justice only to be met with a complete absence of it. A woman who, as Emanuel says, loves with all her heart, even when she has not known love herself. A goddess of a woman who should be venerated, celebrated, and worshipped every chance she gets.
The song touches your very core, to the point where the minute the first notes play, you stop whatever you are doing to listen to the ballad. It fills you with a number of emotions you had not realized yourself capable of. You are consumed by sadness, pain, joy, awe, and love. By the end of the track, I found myself unable to control my tears. And that is how you know, Emanuel just put out a piece of art into the world—much like the black woman herself.
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