Blink of an Eye (Tori Kelly song)

"Blink of an Eye" is a song by American singer and songwriter Tori Kelly. Musically, the song is an acoustic ballad.[1] It was written by Kelly and Zac Poor, and was released via Kelly's YouTube channel on July 10, 2016.[2]

"Blink of an Eye"
Song by Tori Kelly
ReleasedJuly 10, 2016 (2016-07-10)
RecordedJuly 2016
Genre
Length3:18
Songwriter(s)

"Blink of an Eye" is Kelly's tribute to fellow musician Christina Grimmie. Grimmie was murdered following a concert appearance in Orlando, Florida, exactly one month prior to the song's release.

Background

On June 10, 2016, YouTube artist and The Voice season 6 alumna Christina Grimmie was shot by an infatuated "fan" as she signed autographs during a meet and greet event following her performance at The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida. Grimmie was pronounced dead about thirty minutes later, and her death was reported early the following morning.[3]

Numerous artists and others in the music industry posted tributes to Grimmie via their social media accounts. Kelly tweeted, "I have no words. RIP Christina. See you again, love. Isaiah 25:8".[4][lower-alpha 1]

Kelly had met Grimmie through their mutual friends, and the women had similar careers; Grimmie's death "at a meet and greet was also just so close to home."[6] Though the song is specific to Grimmie,[7] Kelly wrote, "more recently I'm overwhelmed at the pain and the brokenness in the world today, and so this is really just me grieving. At all of it. Life is so short."[8]

Release
For the music video, Kelly sat with a guitar in near-darkness.

"Blink of an Eye" was released through Kelly's YouTube channel on July 10, 2016, one month after Grimmie's death. Kelly wrote in the caption that the song was something she needed to write. "My heart was and is still so heavy when I think of her not being with us. However, I am still comforted knowing that I'll get to see her again someday in Heaven."[9]

For the video, Kelly sat in near-darkness singing and playing a guitar. Within a month after its release, it had been viewed more than 1,000,000 times.[10]

Reception

Billboard called "Blink of an Eye" a "beautiful yet heartbreaking song in [Grimmie’s] memory."[9] Matthew Scott Donnelly wrote that the song "has the beautiful frailty of stained glass ... the lo-fi, guitar-backed performance is powerful for its restraint."[11] Music Times said the video is not "flashy" like Kelly's previous work, but "its simplistic and solemn nature works very well with the seriousness of the song and its context."[12]

Justin Bieber, who knew Grimmie through mutual friend Selena Gomez, tweeted his approval: "You have a special gift. God bless."[13][9]

Notes
  1. New King James Version: "He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken."[5]

References
  1. Daniel Kreps (July 11, 2016). "Hear Tori Kelly's Reflective Song About Christina Grimmie - Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  2. "Tori Kelly - 'Blink Of An Eye' (Original) - YouTube". YouTube. July 10, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  3. Dendy, Michelle (June 22, 2016). "Friend: Shooter had fixation on 'The Voice' singer". WKMG-TV. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  4. Melas, Chloe (June 11, 2016). "Christina Grimmie: Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and more react". CNN. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  5. "Isaiah 25:8 NKJV - He will swallow up death forever, And - Bible Gateway". BibleGateway. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  6. Zabasajja, Jennifer (July 25, 2016). "Tori Kelly on whirlwind year, tribute to Orlando victims". CBS News. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  7. Nelson, Jeff (July 11, 2016). "Tori Kelly Writes Emotional Song for Late Friend Christina Grimmie One Month After Shooting: 'You Had So Much Life Left'". People. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  8. Sheridan, Wade (July 11, 2016). "Singer Tori Kelly pays tribute to Christina Grimmie in new song 'Blink of An Eye'". United Press International. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  9. Iasimone, Ashley (July 10, 2016). "Tori Kelly Writes Emotional Song 'Blink of an Eye' for Christina Grimmie: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  10. Kelly, Tori (July 10, 2016). Tori Kelly – "Blink of an Eye" (Original). YouTube. Tori Kelly official channel. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  11. Donnelly, Matthew Scott (June 11, 2016). "Tori Kelly releases fragile, lo-fi Christina Grimmie tribute 'Blink of an Eye'". PopCrush. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  12. Monzon, Inigo (July 13, 2016). "Tori Kelly Dedicates New Song 'Blink of an Eye' to Christina Grimmie". Music Times. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  13. Bacon, Lucy (June 14, 2016). "Justin Bieber Cries On Stage as He Pays Emotional Tribute to Christina Grimmie". MTV News. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
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