There’s been many covers of “You Raise Me Up” over the years but nothing can touch your heart quite like the incredibly pure voices of One Voice Children’s Choir. 1.1 million fans found that hearing these talented kids sing together was a guaranteed mood booster. The incredible falsetto runs in the bridge honestly gave even the great Josh Groban a run for his money in terms of jaw-dropping vocals.
The One Voice Children’s Choir found a suitably epic setting for their epic cover: The Great Wall of China. This dramatic backdrop was perfect for uplifting an already memorable cover. The kids delivered a vocal masterclass from the 2:25 mark onwards with powerful, heartfelt lead vocals. The pièce de résistance came with that incredible soft falsetto from the talented lad at 2:50. Now that’s how you cover a modern classic!
The song carries a storied history that goes well beyond the choir’s treatment. Composed by Rolf Løvland with lyrics by Brendan Graham, the piece originally debuted in 2002 in a recording by the Celtic-Nordic duo Secret Garden with vocalist Brian Kennedy. It gained global recognition when Josh Groban covered it on his 2003 album Closer, earning a Grammy nomination along the way. While the choir’s version nods to Groban’s well-known rendition, they definitely put their own stamp on it with their lush vocal harmonies.
One Voice Children’s Choir previously performed an ambitious cover of Jvke’s “Golden Hour” across iconic Shanghai landmarks, which you can hear below. The purity of the young singers’ voices, and the hopefully energy that they bring to their performances make them truly stand out from the pack. We really have to give it up for the production team behind these clips and recordings as well – they certainly elevate the performances to another level.
One Voice Children’s Choir’s take on “You Raise Me Up” clearly resonated with listeners, pushing the video past 1.1 million YouTube views. The emotional delivery sparked strong praise online, with viewers adding comments such as “The dude at 2:50 is the star of this whole clip. That falsetto drop is crazy” and “I cannot find the words to describe on what a beautiful performance and how beautifully the song was sang, just brilliant.”
That impact reflects a tradition stretching back to the choir’s origins during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. The choir’s director Masa Fukuda initially gathered more than 1,600 young voices to record an Olympic commemorative project. 25 young singers then chose to continue working together with Fukuda, leading to the founding of the non-profit project. No doubt millions of music fans are sure glad they kept the project running!