Category: Song Review

Kelly Besd is a Canadian artist who is using her voice and talent to make the world a better place, progressing the message of racial injustice and discrimination through the art of music. Her debut album, Back To Me, features the song “Dreamin'” which is the catalyst in her catalogue to highlight much needed global change. Besd gets a little help from her friends, Jackie Art and K-Riz as they integrate their beat-driven words with her melodic interludes.

“We different that’s what is special”, in the middle of the first verse bridges all notion of race as we wait for Besd to harmonize in with, “I’m dreamin, bout somethin I believe in, said I’m dreamin, that on each other we are leanin.” The artists do a smooth lyrical shuffle and transition that impresses the message while keeping you musically engaged and entertained.

The song continues to make waves as it gets coverage from radio stations and other media. The video for “Dreamin’” is one of two songs that was recognized in Dropout Entertainment’s (https://dropoutentertainment.ca/) 4^th annual Canadian independent music video awards under the Pop category for Besd. The song was also featured on The Go On with Guido Podcast (https://something4everyone.guidopiraino.com ) and has been spinning here on The Path Radio Mix Online (https://thepathradio.com).

While Besd might have self-reflected with the album title, she also nudges us all to our own “back to me” moments as we reflect on “Dreamin”.

Music is often a reflection of the times, giving us a beat when we want to dance, words when we need to reflect, harmony when we need balance, and hope when there is none. The world seems to be in a place where not everyone is able to celebrate, where tolerance of each other’s views is met with doubt, looking outside the boundary of self needs and wants can be an afterthought, and a sense of abandon consumes news tickers. Occasionally, a song comes along with the perfect storm of resolution that has the potential to make you transition those challenges to opportunities. Franklin McKay, a six-time billboarding independent artist brings the world that soul-restoring storm in the form of his new single, “Don’t Forget Love”, a song co-written and produced by Greg Fitzgerald (Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Hall& Oates).

The opening warm and gentle tones instantly stroke curiosity. Franklin wastes little time in asserting what many may be feeling like these days as he opens with, “when I’m feeling cold, and I’m tired and low,” followed by a question with universal undertones, underscored by asking twice, “Are you there? Are you there for me”? He elevates the conditions of circumstance from the previous few lines as he leads us into the chorus with a powerful and credible voice, “when the rain’s falling down and the sun’s fading out,” then gently solves it for us with the message we all need to hear, “Don’t Forget Love.”

While the lyrics are strong, so is the music as it blends the highs and lows seamlessly, taking you along for a ride that you don’t quite want to reach the end of because you’re enjoying it so much. This McKay, Fitzgerald collaboration is smooth and in-synch on multiple levels.

Franklin McKay’s song, “Don’t Forget Love” was played exclusively on The Path Radio Mix Online (https://thepathradio.com) on February 3, 2022 and continues to spin on any given day of the week. This followed an interview with Franklin that can be heard on The Go On with Guido Podcast (https://something4everyone.guidopiraino.com), a monthly show, which also features the song in a re-release of the January episode.  The show has Franklin providing several insights that complement the song through his childhood roots and life experiences.

Surely this song provides a perfect Valentine’s Day melody, but it also reminds us that each day, “Don’t Forget Love.”