Better known as an acclaimed, Oscar-nominated actor, Kate Hudson also possesses an outstanding voice as showcased in recent single ‘Live Forever’. Based around an engaging, fluent melody, Hudson’s vocal is smooth and warm with a touch of grit when she lets loose.
Lyrically, the song sensitively captures the feeling of parenthood and the power of love. Hudson explains the song’s theme – the awe and wonder and deep love that comes from growing up alongside your children: “Depending on how you listen, it could be a song of first love, young love, because it has the element of being barely an adult. If that’s how it is for you, I love that. But for me, it’s about the absolutely consuming joy Ryder was for me from the moment he arrived. Nothing can prepare you for a love that swallows you whole, but that’s what watching my son grow up has been for me – and when we started writing these songs, it was a feeling that absolutely had to be part of the record.”
Drawing on her own life experiences, Hudson co-wrote the song with Danny Fujikawa, Linda Perry and Johan Carlsson. The accompanying video, produced by Fujikawa and Hudson, allows us to follow Hudson’s son through his life, right up to the moment he leaves home as a young man. The collection of real video clips reinforces the song’s authenticity and connects us to the real-life narrative. She says: “You don’t want to give away your child’s privacy. But you want to show people how glorious loving a child can be. I was so young when Ryder was born, I look back and marvel; I was almost a kid, too, so we were able to fall in love with growing up at the same time. And when you listen to the song and watch, it sweeps you up like someone’s arms around you.” For many listeners, the sentiment will be very familiar and that final scene, when Ryder walks out of the door, will be particularly touching.
‘Live Forever’ is taken from ‘Glorious’, Hudson’s musical debut, which is out now. It’s a collection of songs that offer personal reflections and narratives that will also have universal appeal. Enjoy.
