{"id":2085481,"date":"2025-10-12T08:58:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T08:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2085481"},"modified":"2025-10-12T08:58:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T08:58:16","slug":"vocalessence-and-melanie-demore-release-new-album-how-to-hold-on-songs-of-comfort-and-solace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/vocalessence-and-melanie-demore-release-new-album-how-to-hold-on-songs-of-comfort-and-solace\/","title":{"rendered":"VocalEssence and Melanie DeMore Release New Album How to Hold On: Songs of Comfort and Solace"},"content":{"rendered":"

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VocalEssence and Melanie DeMore Release New Album\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

How to Hold On: Songs of Comfort and Solace<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

MINNEAPOLIS, MN \u2014 September 26, 2025<\/strong> \u2014 VocalEssence, the renowned Twin Cities choral organization, has joined forces with three-time Grammy-nominated singer, composer, and vocal activist Melanie DeMore to release a new album, How to Hold On: Songs of Comfort and Solace<\/em>. <\/p>\n

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Available today across streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Prime, as well as for digital download and physical CD through vocalessence.org<\/a>, the album presents a deeply moving collection of a cappella choral works designed to provide peace, reflection, and emotional healing.<\/p>\n

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Recorded over four days in January 2025 at Maud Moon Weyerhauser Studios at Minnesota Public Radio in Saint Paul, the album features 14 tracks\u201412 original compositions by DeMore alongside two spiritual arrangements\u2014performed by DeMore and the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers. Drawing on the traditions of spirituals, lullabies, and folk music, the recordings highlight the power of choral music to nurture, comfort, and connect listeners.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen VocalEssence commits to nurturing new music and brings it into the studio, it\u2019s always thrilling,\u201d said Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence founder and artistic director. \u201cHow to Hold On<\/em> is exceptional. The Ensemble Singers create moments of pure communion with one another. Melanie has consistently helped us expand what choral music can do, from teaching Gullah stick-pounding in schools to leading workshops that bring youth and police together. Her original music will now be licensed through VocalEssence Music Press, and we can\u2019t wait to share this work with our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeMore described the album as \u201cmedicine for the soul.\u201d \u201cA longing for connection and an ache for community drove the process of composing How to Hold On<\/em>,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen the Ensemble Singers and I recorded, we created music that listeners can wrap around themselves, a musical space where it\u2019s safe to take a deep breath and sit with their feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The release was celebrated with an intimate launch event featuring live discussion and demonstrations with DeMore and the Ensemble Singers. Attendees described the experience as both spiritually uplifting and emotionally resonant. Ensemble singer Patty Kramer reflected, \u201cRecording this music with Melanie was one of the most cherished experiences of my time with the Ensemble. These songs are tools to meditate on and carry us through difficult times.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeMore explained the deeply intentional nature of the album\u2019s creation. Each performance was an act of communal support, with singers dedicating songs to loved ones and those in need of solace. \u201cWe were holding people in song,\u201d she said. \u201cEvery note was a conscious offering of comfort and care.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Several tracks exemplify the album\u2019s ethos. Bright Blue Sky<\/em> explores grief and communal support, while As Much as Air<\/em> emphasizes the fundamental human need for tenderness. In the title track, How to Hold On<\/em>, DeMore creates a musical meditation on resilience and hope amid life\u2019s storms. The album balances dissonance and harmony to reflect the complex emotions of human experience, a hallmark of DeMore\u2019s African-American musical roots.<\/p>\n

VocalEssence, founded in 1969, has debuted more than 300 commissions and world premieres through its performance series. Its Learning & Engagement programs connect people of all ages with choral experts to foster creativity, community, and cross-cultural understanding. Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones has praised the group for its \u201cmagnificent\u201d singing.<\/p>\n

How to Hold On: Songs of Comfort and Solace<\/em> is available now on streaming platforms, for digital download, and on CD at vocalessence.org<\/a>. Media can access a digital download, cover artwork, and liner notes here<\/p>\n

MinneapoliMedia<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n