Ferdinand Rennie and the art of the big, honest ballad

The following feature is now included in our online magazine which is also available in print.

Issue #10

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Some songs are quiet and unassuming. Others are bombastic and attention-grabbing. Then there are those that are just plain meant to be. Unbelieving Eyes is most certainly in the last category. Produced and co-produced by Ferdinand Rennie and Alan Vukelic and Nate Kohrs, this is less of a single and more of an event. It is as if this song has been waiting in the wings for Rennie and he has finally come along. Written by Sharon Vaughn, Niklas Edberger, Jeff Franzel, Alan Vukelic, and Ferdinand Rennie himself, Unbelieving Eyes is a true ballad in the way that word should be used. It is full of trust and trust in the right things. The melody is strong and true. The production is tight from the first notes. It gives Rennie room to roam and builds towards a full and sweeping chorus without ever getting too out of hand. This is pop balladry at its best, and it is more in line with late-era Leonard Cohen or the emotional honesty of Sarah McLachlan than it is with anything remotely mainstream. The voice of Ferdinand Rennie is strong and true. Years of stage and studio time have honed him into an instrument of pure craft. There is an authority here, yes, but there is also an honesty. He sings Unbelieving Eyes as if he has learned patience and restraint. Nothing is ever forced. Nothing is ever extraneous.

This background explains much. Born and raised in Austria and now living on the west coast of Scotland, he has spent over thirty years moving between worlds. His work encompasses television, theatre, and studio recordings. From appearances related to Eurovision and Austrian television to starring roles in major musical productions such as Les Miserables, Elisabeth, Jesus Christ Superstar, Beauty and the Beast, and Little Shop of Horrors, he has spent his life immersed in music that requires technical skill and emotional depth. All of this informs how he works through a recording like Unbelieving Eyes. He understands when to act and when to remain motionless and let the song shine through. There’s something cinematic about Unbelieving Eyes. It’s reminiscent of the closing scenes from some romantic epics, where time seems to pass a little longer than expected. One might think of something like The English Patient or A Star Is Born. Unbelieving Eyes would be at home during the end credits, not as background but as punctuation. While there’s not much to say about Unbelieving Eyes, there’s much to be known about Rennie himself. His versions of songs like Run, Hallelujah, Angel, and Never Enough have earned him radio play all over the world because he performs them with a level of respect rather than reinvention. His work on Chase the Sun, performed with Grammy winner Mikal Blue, or productions like A Wing and a Prayer, Someone to Remember Me, and It’s Time, all have one thing in common: clarity of feeling. His hit Christmas tune Together at Christmas also had that same level of sincerity.

Unbelieving Eyes feels like the culmination of a journey rather than a step away from it. It has the heart and soul of a theatre track but never strays far from the pop production. The production never overpowers the lyrics. It’s a difficult balance to achieve, and it’s here that the co-production shines.

There’s also something rather wonderful about the unapologetic sincerity of the track. It’s a world where irony has become a defence mechanism, and Rennie has no hesitation in being sincere. The title itself speaks of a disbelief not just with love but with grace. It’s a theme that resonates with anyone who has been around long enough to know that certainty is a rare commodity.

For the listener who likes the likes of Josh Groban, Michael Ball, and even the more subdued moments of Sam Smith, this track will feel like home. It’s a track that sits comfortably alongside the ballads from either artist. It’s also a track that reminds the listener that, despite the current state of music, there’s still room for songs that take their time.

Unbelieving Eyes doesn’t have to be revolutionary. It doesn’t have to be groundbreaking. It doesn’t have to be. It has the strength and the heart and soul of the writing, the delivery, and the trust between everyone involved. It’s a track from Ferdinand Rennie that feels like a statement of intent. It’s a man comfortable with himself and the world around him and a man deeply connected with the material. It’s a track for the listener that’s a rare find. It’s a track that demands stillness and rewards it fully.