When the world just seems like a lot and you can’t manage to keep spinning all the plates, that overwhelming exhaustion can be debilitating. At some point in your life, you’ve probably had a friend or a close relative reach out for help, ask for a hand in getting them out of their sadness. It can be a tricky thing, especially if that person is a frequent flyer of sorts and is always in need of a pep talk. That doesn’t seem to be the case for the stalwart friendship that singer and songwriter Patricia Bahia presents and represents in her new song, “Hold On”. Not to be confused with the pop heavy Wilson Phillips track, Bahia’s “Hold On” is an intimate sounding and refrained anthem to remind the listener that a friend is there to hold on and will be there for them; and that the person should continue to believe in their own talents.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/patriciabahiamusic/?hl=en
Featuring a subdued percussion – with moments where the cymbals sound as if it were a shower of white lights, a modest piano bed and an acoustic guitar, “Hold On” encompasses a sound that feels modern, relaxed and soothing. Bahia, who’s previous releases often touch on inspiring messaging and intermix Americana, roots and pop/adult contemporary genres, stays the course. I think at her core, Bahia excels at telling all our stories. She’s locked-into the idea of friendship and human nature in her work. Write what you know, right? In “Hold On” the chorus is quite simply ‘hold on’, with Bahia taking extraordinary measures to hold the note in ‘on’ for what feels like days. I loved being caught up in that moment, as if time stood still in her vocal range.
Bahia, who hails from St. Louis, has a cozy way of presenting this song. This might be a bit off the wall, and certainly not coming from her or her press materials, but in listening to “Hold On” I had this feeling that kept coming up in my mind that it is a great song for the holidays. For those that suffer from depression and albeit loneliness during ‘the most wonderful time of year’, those jolly go-to Christmas songs sometimes make things worse. Again, this is by no means a promotion that “Hold On” is a holiday tune, but the timing and the seasonal bliss about to be upon is, well, it calls for a song like “Hold On” to remind the less fortunate that they are needed, that their spirit is bigger than what they can ever imagine.
“Hold On”, a bit different than the sunshine-infused “(Say yes) World With A Little More Love” has the Positive Music Award and Peace Song Award winner, Bahia revealing a different layer to her artistry. She’s still very prolific – which is wonderful to hear. I’m anxious to hear more from her ever-growing songbook. I think Bahia is one of America’s best songwriters – and most underrated. How more people don’t know about Bahia is a mystery to me. “Hold On” just might be her signature hit.
Claire Uebelacker