Ingmar King's "Hold Me Close"

As a passionately crafted piano ballad, Ingmar King’s Hold Me Close is overflowing with emotion from the very beginning. With a climactic and confessional nature, the song will surely earn a special place in the hearts of musical theater lovers (or anyone prone to singing Les Mis in the shower).

“Looks like this is where it ends It's been a long time knowing you All the things that we could do Oh, how I wish it wasn't true”

Ingmar King clearly has an affinity for translating emotions into a musical language that every listener can understand and internalize. The pre-chorus takes an epic turn and provides the first real glimpse into King’s dynamic vocal range as he creates a choir with harmonies drawn from his impressive falsetto. King creates a stripped soundscape for his words to take effect, heavily leaning on the piano-driven momentum. King’s last breath is reserved for his extended plea:

“All I'm asking you is please.”

Cover art for "Hold Me Close" by Ingmar King

King, who began playing violin at age six, has drawn inspiration from his classical background and allowed it to translate into his production. This influence can be heard when soaring strings take over in the chorus and whisk the listener away into a lush and romantic world of sound.

“Hold me close and never let me go Don't you leave me here alone I need you baby”

Brimming with vulnerability, King’s vocal delivery allows him to command a strong and distinguished presence throughout the song. This powerful delivery is a constant in King’s creative process, evidenced by an early demo of the song below:

In the final version of the song, King stays true to the raw emotional electricity that can be heard in the formative stages of Hold Me Close, all while paying tribute to the Pop Rock influences that are ingrained within the song’s foundation (one could compare King’s songwriting and performance style to the likes of Elton John and Queen.)

Ingmar King is originally from Estonia. He is a multi-instrumentalist who began channeling his creative efforts into songwriting in 2020. King is currently studying music production and songwriting at Berklee College of Music. To listen to “Hold Me Close” and stay up to date with King, please follow the links below! If you enjoyed this review, be sure to #staytuned and follow our blog and Instagram for more reviews, interviews, and articles!

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