Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you exceptional songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, the talented members of the One Voice Children's Choir will dazzle you with their interpretation of Rihanna's "Diamonds." Their video at the end of this post has been viewed on YouTube nearly 24 million times.
In the song, the youngsters inspire their peers to "shine bright like a diamond" and embrace the wonders that life has to offer.
They sing, "Find light in the beautiful sea, I choose to be happy / You and I, you and I, we’re like diamonds in the sky / You’re a shooting star I see, a vision of ecstasy / When you hold me, I’m alive / We’re like diamonds in the sky."
Ranging in age from four to 17, the One Voice singers are directed by Masa Fukuda. The group was originally assembled by Fukuda to perform at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, but remained together after the sporting event. The group has about 140 members and performs 50 to 70 times each year.
Their reputation as a top-flight choral group earned them an invitation to compete during Season 9 of NBC's America's Got Talent in 2014. The group reached the quarter finals and produced the "Diamonds" video in preparation for moving on to the final rounds. Earlier in the competition, judge Howard Stern told the young contestants that they were gold, but Howie Mandel was not as impressed.
"They are gold," Mandel stated. "I'm looking for a diamond."
Despite Mandel's thumbs-down verdict, Stern, Mel B and Heidi Klum voted in favor of the group and they moved on in the competition. The choir director's decision to perform "Diamonds" was in direct response to Mandel's criticism.
Rihanna scored her 12th #1 single with "Diamonds" in 2012. In fact, the song topped the charts in 20 countries and sold more than 7.5 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles in music history.
Rihanna characterized the song as "happy and hippie."
"It's hopeful. It gives me a great feeling when I listen to it," she said during an iHeartRadio festival in Las Vegas. "The lyrics are hopeful and positive. It's about love and the gears are different than what people will expect."
The song was written by Sia Furler with Benjamin Levin, Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen. Sia told New York Times Magazine that she came up with the lyrics for "Diamonds" in just 14 minutes.
According to SongFacts.com, "Diamonds" is the third diamond-titled song to score a #1 chart appearance. The others were Gary Lewis and the Playboys' "This Diamond Ring" (1965) and Elton John's "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" (1974).
Please check out the video of the One Voice Children's Choir performing "Diamonds." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...
"Diamonds"
Written by Sia Furler, Benjamin Levin, Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen. Performed by the One Voice Children's Choir.
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Find light in the beautiful sea, I choose to be happy
You and I, you and I, we’re like diamonds in the sky
You’re a shooting star I see, a vision of ecstasy
When you hold me, I’m alive
We’re like diamonds in the sky
I knew that we’d become one right away
Oh, right away
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
I saw the life inside your eyes
So shine bright tonight,
You and I
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye,
So alive
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shining bright like a diamond
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shining bright like a diamond
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Palms rise to the universe, as we moonshine and molly
Feel the warmth, we’ll never die
We’re like diamonds in the sky
You’re a shooting star I see, a vision of ecstasy
When you hold me, I’m alive
We’re like diamonds in the sky
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
I saw the life inside your eyes
So shine bright
Tonight,
You and I
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye,
So alive
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shining bright like a diamond
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shining bright like a diamond
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
So shine bright
Tonight,
You and I
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye,
So alive
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Credit: Screen captures via YouTube.com.
