Ane Brun Strips Down Beyonce's 'Halo' — rollingstone.com

Ane Brun's cover of Beyoncé's "Halo" burns the power ballad down to its essence. Brun, who hails from Norway, has spent her career merging classical singing with Seventies AM pop – and on "Halo," off her Rarities compilation, she strips the hit of all its flourishes to reveal the delicate core. Gone are the thundering handclaps, regal piano chords and starry synths, replaced with a string quartet that includes cellist Linnea Olsson. Brun sings with a fragile vulnerability, slowing the song down to focus on every note. Her voice rises and falls with the cello as Olsson adds a precious few backing refrains.

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