Last month marked seven years already since the fatal shooting in Orlando of pop star Christina Grimmie. At only 22 years old this was absolutely a case of gone (way) too soon. Clearly, she was otherwise destined to very much make her mark on the music scene for years and years to come.
We’re halfway through the ten-year anniversary of one of her most popular and iconic albums. To mark the occasion, her brother Marcus (artist name mGrim) is carrying on her legacy, reimagining the title track from “With Love” in a rock/math rock form.
Of the release (issued last month), he says, “This song was written about Christina’s fans and how they have continued to be her biggest inspiration and support through her journey. Now, even ten years later, that love and support has continued to push her music and my inspiration to create this track.”
And he has done so quite nicely.
Upon listening to it, I did notice the guitar addition, yet not in a fashion that takes away from the song. His is a nice rendition as it still upholds the original presentation of the song yet puts a different spin on it that honors the first recording and doesn’t deviate radically.
I’m thinking here of what are cliches yet are still very applicable. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” is one of those. With the 2023 rendition, mGrim brings a great song back and seasons it to taste in a way that I’m sure his sister’s fans will roundly approve of. Rather than reinventing the wheel, he stayed true to what made it a good song to begin with.
There’s a lesson here in that some independent artists struggle when they feel the pressure is on to release something new. While that’s understandable, it doesn’t mean you have to rush something just for the sake of getting something out, perhaps sacrificing quality in the process. If you’re an artist that has an extensive back catalog, why not take a page from the Grimmie playbook and re-issue a song with just a slight twist on it?
Wasn’t it Adam Hood just under two weeks ago who said on Episode 489 of my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast that the new album he’s putting out is basically songs from way back when, yet he might’ve made just the slightest modifications here or there this time around? It can and is being done!
In the case of mGrim, I encourage you to do a side-by-side comparison, meaning, listen to his version, and then immediately thereafter put on the original 2013 rendition to hear just the subtle differences. While not clobbering you over the head, I’m sure you’ll notice how he changed the song ever so slightly. I’m equally confident that, like my review here, you too will give it the thumbs up.
Let’s also not lose sight here of how important this work is in that it keeps the name and the memory and the music alive of someone who would’ve been a household name if she was still with us today.
It’s worth noting too that Marcus Grimmie and his family set up the Christina Grimmie Foundation to assist families in the wake of gun violence. As of the start of this year the foundation had given out more than 400,000 dollars and helped at least 200 families. I know he wishes his sister were still here and that audiences would be clapping for her, but bravo, Marcus, on this new rendition of “With Love” and the work that you continue to do for your sister’s legacy.
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