If there’s one thing IPs can always rely on from their fans, it’s their creativity. From elaborate cosplays toan adorable Pokémon phone charger, it seems like nothing is out of the realm of possibility. So, how about using a stairwell to create hauntingly beautiful music fromStar Wars?
Singer Lauren Paley specializes in recreating music from films and video games. Taking advantage of the wide, echo-y goodness present in the world’s underappreciated stairwells, she makes videos using only her voice and those surprisingly satisfying acoustics. After makinga short Instagram clipon a fan request, who asked her to cover the emotionally charged “Binary Sunset” fromStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, she decided a full video version was in order.
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Taking to YouTube, she planted herself in her stairwell of choice and recorded her owna cappella versionof the tearjerker song. Right off the bat, one might assume there’s some technological trickery going on to make the audio sound the way it does. But natural acoustics can do a lot of magical things, including making a single voice sound like it’s reverberating through a giant concert hall. Maybe the stairwell is haunted by some music aficionado ghosts.
Of course, that wouldn’t mean much if Paley didn’t have the talent, and she has that in spades. Calling herself “The Stairwell Siren” and sounding like something out ofThe Lord of the Rings' biggest and more powerful moments, she belts out satisfying melodies while making it look easy. She states in her videos that her dream is to perform on movie soundtracks, and it’s hard not to imagine her voice backing some truly poignant scenes in future films. (Appropriately, she’s also covered music fromTheLord of the Ringsin other videos.)
Paley’s YouTube channel covers songs from all sorts of properties.Harry Potter,Titanic, and even video games likeAssassin’s Creedget attention as she serenades the empty steps. Shealso coveredSkyrim,which is already a magnet for fan content. That’s not to mention her creative take on theHalotheme, which reimagines the choir melody in a higher register. Really, this is someone trying to chase her dream and having fun doing it, all while getting viewers in on the action by happily fulfilling their requests.
It’s rather impressive how far sheer talent can go with just a little natural reverb to carry it. Here’s hoping Paley keeps doing what she’s doing, and maybe someday gets into those movie soundtracks she’s always dreamed of.
TheStar Warssaga is now available on Disney Plus.
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