SPELLLING X Weyes Blood – Destiny Arrives

Sounds like:
Caroline Polachek, Kate Bush, Japanese Breakfast, Sarah Kinsley

What’s so good?

Chrystia Cabral, known by her stage name SPELLLING, released a reimaged version of “Destiny Arrives,” originally included on her Portrait of My Heart album. The new version features Weyes Blood (Natalie Mering), an artist who also nails the cinematic, orchestral side of the experimental pop genre. Their collaboration was inevitable. 

SPELLLING excels at revisiting her past work, pushing her talent and artistry to higher capacities. She originally did this back in 2018 when her single “Hard to Please” evolved into a reprised version on Mazy Fly.

The first version of “Destiny Arrives” felt like a cliffhanger, making the second one the grand finale. SPELLLING’s range remains stunning. Her impressive, deep vocals and expressive runs add a 90s R&B layer to her music’s electronic elements. Weyes Blood’s pure, resonant tone illuminates the track. Her warm alto sound makes me believe she might be related to Joni Mitchell. This is a duo I never thought to piece together, but now I want more from them.

In the original arrangement without Weyes Blood, the focus sat heavily on the synths and strings. In the rerelease, those textures are less distracting. The interplay between the girls’ vocals becomes the main attraction. The song has a different meaning now, not only because of the additional theatrics, but also from Weyes Blood’s lyrical contributions. SPELLLING once sounded alone in her journey, and now she’s found Weyes Blood along the way. Everything’s complete in the second act.

With Weyes Blood’s name attached, “Destiny Arrives” is getting the attention it deserves. Hopefully, this leads new listeners back to the overlooked Portrait of My Heart.

1. Original post: SPELLLING X Weyes Blood – Destiny Arrives

2. Find more music on Indie Shuffle’s Indie Music Blog.