‘The Idea’ of Ali Gatie
CANADIAN R&B-pop crooner Ali Gatie’s latest EP, “The Idea of Her” dropped March 26 from Warner Records, featuring the single “Can’t Let You Go.” It boasts an impressive list of collaborators, including Ty Dolla $ign, Alessia Cara, Tate McRae and Marshmello, all guided — well — by the artist’s idea for this outing.
“My fans will be excited to hear something different. Once they hear Can’t Let You Go, they’ll understand the music is still the same Ali they love but with a little different side of me and excited to share that,” Gatie explained via Zoom in this interview with Music Geek.
Nominated for three Canadian Juno Awards (Artist of The Year, Album of The Year for “YOU,” and Fan Choice Award), the soulful ballad Can’t Let You Go has Ali singing about love and loss before he slips into his native Arabic. The video reflects the soft hues of the song as he pours out his confessions against an elegant black-and-white backdrop, supported by a shadowy pair of dancers draped in silk. It’s simple yet affecting, like the song itself.
“Can’t Let You Go is about a hopeless romantic holding on to a love that’s long faded,” Gatie furthered. “I wrote the song to describe the struggles of moving on and how impossible it may seem at times.” This vulnerable slow-burner builds on the vibe of his 2019 breakout, “It’s You,” which has been streamed nearly two billion times. Likewise, it also sets the tone for The Idea of Her, which is conceptuallyinspired effort that successfully intensifies the emotion and connection Ali Gatie has established with his loyal listeners.
The singer further adds to Gatie’s growing number of lovesick hits, such as “Lie To Me” with Tate McRae, “Running on My Mind,” “If I Fall in Love,” “What If I Told You That I Love You,” and “Welcome Back” featuring Alessia Cara. In under three years, he’s surpassed 3.5 billion global streams, while racking up over 19 million streams a week and 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify. And even with a sold-out world tour and a Coachella slot put on hold, he just keeps on growing a huge following. For the rest of Music Geek’s interview with the Candadina singer-songwriter, log on to www.manilatimes.net.