While song surfing on social media last year, Filipino singer July Rain bumped into Believe , a massive hit for Cher in 1998. After learning the chords on her guitar, she decided to record it with guidance from a Jamaican producer.
Her acoustic take on Believe, produced by Fitzroy Francis of Mightyful13 Records, was released this week through VPAL Music. The stripped-down version is July Rain’s biggest effort to date.
“I wanted to sing the song in a way that expresses what the lyrics say, which is actually really sad. I think the original version is beautiful and epic as is, so I wanted to interpret it in my own style like what I do with other songs that I cover or sing,” she explained.
Believe is July Rain’s first international release. Prior, she recorded and performed in The Philippines, mainly for that country’s teen market.
After performing mainly cover songs, she made a career shift two years ago by recording original tracks for her first EP, again done exclusively for the Filipino scene.
For her take on Believe, she reached out to Francis, a Waterhouse native whose credits include songs by singjay Jesse Jendau and singer Hugh English.
“I love the song and have known it for many years. I never really performed it during my live gigs with my band, but I naturally know the song since it’s a massive hit for Cher,” said July Rain.
The original Believe was an international smash, topping charts in several countries including the United States and United Kingdom. A reggae cover by singer Ghost did well in Jamaica and reggae markets in North America.
July Rain is a member of the indigenous Kankanaey and Ibaloi tribes from Luzon, an island in the northern region of The Phillippines.
In the 1980s, her father was a popular draw on the local folk music scene. He inspired her love for acoustic sounds, based on admiration for The Beatles, The Bee Gees, America, The Eagles, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Jim Croce.
— Howard Campbell
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