The beauty of time is its ability to organise meetings between two things that exist within different periods of life and to birth a creation that defies the continuum itself. The Joy’s latest release, titled “Precious”, depicts this phenomenon, with the South African collective rejuvenating the concept of love, old as time as it is, with creativity especial to them and with an interpretation of that doesn’t lean on the lyrical frills of dramatic gestures and the snowballing effect of love bombing. Instead, “Precious” throbs with earnest longing and sincere displays of affection.
“Precious” cover art | SUPPLIED
“Precious”, an emotional one hundred and sixty second ride with the group, is a sparse Afrobeats-leaning song fletched with the attributes of afropop, world music, and subtle ghosts of a cappella influences. The shading of multi-keyed harmonies and warm melodies lift the production of “Precious” to ballad territories, though the scope of the lyricism, the altruistic themes, and the upbeat mood place the song somewhere in between it being a tribute and a fawning ode. Whatever the case may be, the bionic production, mixing machine work with the boundless creativity from the reverberations of their vocal cords, creates a light-hearted atmosphere that prompts the bones to move to the melodies of the tune.
Braiding English and isiZulu, the overarching theme behind “Precious” is self-sacrificing love, as highlighted by the songwriting in the chorus: “I protect your flame for you, Precious / I lift off the blame for you”. The single also explores the existential significance of love, with sentiments expressed in the song being that the love of the significant other is worth fighting for and that she “saved my heart”.
The Joy | SUPPLIED
With promises of protecting and the unspoken dedication of being the woman’s source of praise and affirmation, “Precious” isn’t a materialistic offering packed with lavish gifting, expensive showings of affection, and grand displays of love. Instead, the song thrives on the priceless value of gratitude, the covering of true love, and the rememberance of past deeds as a basis for building a future together.
The Joy’s “Precious” is not cheap and disingenuous exaltation meant to sway the feelings of a lover but a musical letter that strengthens a bond that already exists while standing on strong enough foothold to take the next step and ascend with enough conviction that both will make it to a high stage.
Check out “Precious”:
