When I was 14, I started listening to the local radio station and discovered a whole plethora of bands and artists who I'd never previously heard of (granted, a lot of it was tripe, but it was the 90s so we love it all really!). The first time I heard Lifted by the Lighthouse Family I loved the distinctive voice of Tunde and have done ever since.
I had grown up only hearing the Christian music genre and panpipes, so this new obsession opened a whole world of inspiration for me, and I started writing my own songs. I used to pretend that I was a backing vocalist for the Lighthouse Family and I learnt all of the lyrics. Even now when I hear those songs, I sing along with the backing rather than the lead.
I remember my sister giving me two options for a gift my 15th birthday - either a ticket to a Lighthouse Family concert at the Brighton Centre, or a copy of their second album, Postcards from Heaven (I already had Ocean Drive on cassette). I opted for the album, my logic being that I'd be able to listen to the songs over and over instead of just once. I've always regretted that because I never saw them live and still haven't even seen Tunde perform live as a solo artist either.
Moving forward 30 years from their first record, Tunde is back with this new single Rain to a Rainbow, and he sounds exactly the same as he did then. Some voices are ageless and timeless, and utterly distinctive. You would know immediately who this is! Not just by the voice, but the instrumentation and arrangement are also very indicative of the original style and vibe of the Lighthouse Family. For me, it's an instant classic that fits perfectly as part of the growing catalogue of songs that Tunde has released, both as part of the Lighthouse Family and solo. Despite a break between 2001-2013, Tunde has still been making records and I love all of them just as much as Ocean Drive drew me in back right at the start.
Rain to a Rainbow is a gorgeous song about focusing on the positives - drawing strength and beauty from those around us who help to brighten up our lives. This is very much the kind of subject that I love, as I'm a big believer in treating every day like the gift that it is, and seeing others as the humans that they are.
With my clear history of loving Tunde's voice and music, you could say that this review is heavily biased, and you would be right. Shameless fan-girling on my part, and I'm not sorry at all.
Listen to Rain to a Rainbow and other newly released songs on my New Music playlist: