POP AND R&B STAR BAZZI CHANNELS INNER NEW WAVE VIBE FOR LATEST ROMANTIC AND CELESTIAL SINGLE “HEAVEN”
The art of sampling is one which is either reviled or revered by most music fans. There are some who call it lazy at best or thievery at worst, while others see it as an art form unto itself. Whichever way one falls in the debate, there’s no denying that there are instances where songs that were already huge or notable become even bigger when contextualized in a new track. Indeed, Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise,” Melanie Martinez’s “Pity Party” and Puff Daddy and Faith Evans’ “I’ll Be Missing You” would not be the massive hits they are without their famous chorus samples — yet instead of merely being rip-offs, the artists elevate them so that their meaning gets enhanced. Such is the case with singer-songwriter Bazzi’s latest single, “Heaven.”
Pop star and R&B artist Bazzi gained fame and popularity in 2017 with his single “Mine,” which immediately blew up on the Internet and secured his place as an artist to watch. Since then, he has released an LP, a mixtape and countless singles, all to commercial and critical acclaim. He has racked up over 9 billions streams and worked with the best in the business to create his songs and music videos. It’s fitting then that he’s utilized one of the best choruses from the 1980’s for his latest hit, “Heaven” — namely, Scottish band Fiction Factory’s “(Feels Like) Heaven.” As Bazzi says of his experience crafting the song and what it means to him:
“‘Heaven’ to me is interesting because selecting a single off the album is so tough. Infinite Dream is so versatile, and it shows so many different sides of my music making abilities picking one single to represent the entirety of the work is impossible. But ‘Heaven’ is something I thought fans would enjoy and would be a nice precursor to all the madness and insanity that they’re going to get to hear on the album. I made ‘Heaven’ in Hawaii around 2 and a half years ago with longtime collaborator and best friend, Kevin White. When I listen to the record, I can still see the pink and purple sunsets…. and all the crazy other activities that went on over there 😉”
In truth, “Heaven” uses Fiction Factory’s original new wave hit as a template, so it’s not a one-to-one match — but that honestly makes the usage of the sample fit even better. While “(Feels Like) Heaven” is actually quite a bittersweet anti-love song, Bazzi’s “Heaven” is a sweeping, romantic track where he sings of his growing love for a woman — which may be exacerbated by the use of illicit substances: “Beautiful soul / You’re out of control / Just like there’s no- / Body that be watchin’ you / Chasin’ a thrill / With powder and pills / It’s a girls’ world / And everybody’s in it.” Nevertheless, the conviction with which Bazzi sings is sincere, and the arrangement itself genuinely feels like floating among the clouds in a rush of love. It’s a short, to-the-point love song with a killer chorus courtesy of the Fiction Factory sample — and a testament to Bazzi’s staying power as a musician to watch.
Bazzi’s latest album, Infinite Dream, released September 16 via Atlantic Records. He is embarking on his biggest tour yet between October 17 and November 15 — you can buy tickets here. In the meantime, take a listen to the newest single off of Bazzi’s new album, “Heaven,” below!
