We all know true talent shines through anything. No truer words could be spoken to describe the vocal prowess of Julie Foai, aka Miss French. Having been in the industry for 30 years with her band Te Vaka, Julie is stepping out on her own and bringing us a wonderful album of work, The Trials And Tribulations Of Miss French Part Two, the follow up to part one, which you can listen to in full on the streaming platform of your choice.

New single Far Away is a beautiful marriage of the South Pacific influence of Te Vaka with the showman, cabaret styles of Hollywood or, more accurately, Broadway. With an orchestrated band blend behind her, gorgeously balanced by Opetaia Foai – who worked on both Julie‘s albums and is currently engaged on the score for Moana 2 – the vocal really soars and brings the song to a level that is simply divine. This is real showbiz music, delivered by a showbiz-woman on top of her game.

With a sweet, catchy melody, a vocalist who can extrapolate just the right amount from the root vocal notes and it being a good old love song, Far Away is a joy. It’s something you can listen to quite literally anywhere. On a road trip, at home in company or not, live, on the radio, and it certainly lends itself to the soundtrack of ones day any day ending in a Y.

I got a vague sense of someone like Lulu singing it as a follow up single to To Sir With Love. It’s got that timeless feel to it. A beautifully deep and memorable earworm of a song that could have been released any time over the past 60 years. It’ll sound just as good in 60 years too, I reckon. And with a jaw-droppingly gifted vocalist like Julie Foai at the mic, that’s no surprise.

Go pop open your Spotify. This will bring back the sunshine.