Artist: Chantal Hayes
Title: "I Have Been There"
Album:
HuntressLabel: Safe Haven Records
Culture Uncut ReviewChantal Hayes’ solo career has certainly been a rollercoaster so far, with two number one singles, mixed reviews and a feud with her own label, Safe Haven Records. However, due to the backlash Chantal received from the situation, latest single "Misfit" seems to have gone as quickly as it came, which has led to the rush release of this brand new single "I Have Been There", penned by Cara Zayn and acting as the third single from the album, which will lead the album,
Huntress, available March 11.
Lyrically, Chantal’s past two singles have portrayed the GirlSpice star as a young, independent, single and careless misfit, but this time round, we get to see Chantal in a more vulnerable light. "Well, some say I'm cynical / That I coat my heart in armour / But you learn to protect yourself / When you've gone through so much turmoil and drama", Chantal sings gently in the track’s opening verse, showing off her most impressive vocals on a solo song to date. Chantal’s never had the stand out vocals within her group, but on her own, she’s more than capable of impressing her listeners and portraying emotion in a song like this. Though Chantal sings proudly about what she’s been through and isn’t playing the victim in the song, she comes across as if she’s had it worse than most of us with lines like, "Don't come at me until you've been where I've been / Don't come at me until you've seen what I've seen". Let’s face it, the only thing we know of from her life is that she broke up with her baby daddy, Stinson. Just a tad overdramatic maybe, Chantal.
The song, based on lyrics alone, could lend itself perfectly to a pop ballad, though Chantal uses her vulnerability to make a soaring anthem, fusing together the power of debut single "Worry No More" and the upbeat nature of "Misfit". We never had Chantal down as a piano ballad kinda gal, so it’s a relief to see, or hear in this case, that she’s staying true to herself and creating music that seems to genuinely be her style. Has her music been groundbreaking or different? Not at all. Though radio and her fans seem to be enjoying it for now, time will tell just how long they’ll keep eating it up for, or how many more tantrums Chantal is allowed until no one stops listening.
"I Have Been There"(Lyrics by Cara Zayn, Chantal Hayes)
Sounds like:
I have been at the bottom
Where giving up is the only appealing option
Well, some say I'm cynical
That I coat my heart in armour
But you learn to protect yourself
When you've gone through so much turmoil and drama
And I can proudly say that I'm not perfect
But I'm still standing strong
I can proudly say that I'm a little broken
But I'll still carry on
See, I have been there
Dealt with it all
I fought my way back to my feet
And I am standing tall
I've taken the shots
I've taken all of the pain
I'm stronger now than ever before
And I'd go through it all over and over againDon't come at me until you've been where I've been
Don't come at me until you've seen what I've seen
I saw no light at the end of the tunnel
I was stood at the end of the road
With nothin' goin' for me and nowhere to go
See, I have been there
Actions are like bullet holes
Leaving marks on our once untouched skin
They're easily done without caution
But no one ever thinks about the pain it causes within
Don't you know that we're still human
That we feel the hardest pain
Don't you know that we're still human
That we feel the hardest pain
Perhaps I got lucky and learnt to be strong
It doesn't mean that I don't miss you when you're gone
But I'm done making mistakes
I'm making the right choices
I'm not gonna be haunted by those inside voices
See, I have been there
Dealt with it all
I fought my way back to my feet
And I am standing tall
I've taken the shots
I've taken all of the pain
I'm stronger now than ever before
And I'd go through it all over and over againDon't come at me until you've been where I've been
Don't come at me until you've seen what I've seen
I saw no light at the end of the tunnel
I was stood at the end of the road
With nothin' goin' for me and nowhere to go
See, I have been there
Perhaps I'm not as strong as I first thought
But second time round, I'm well prepared
Cause I'm done making mistakes
I'm making the right choices
I'm not gonna be haunted by those inside voices
See, I have been there
Dealt with it all
I fought my way back to my feet
And I am standing tall
I've taken the shots
I've taken all of the pain
I'm stronger now than ever before
And I'd go through it all over and over againDon't come at me until you've been where I've been
Don't come at me until you've seen what I've seen
I saw no light at the end of the tunnel
I was stood at the end of the road
With nothin' goin' for me and nowhere to go
See, I have been there
