Feature | Sterling Miller

Where have all the ballads gone? That’s what I want to know. There are countless compilation albums out there that cover hundreds of ballads from the 80s and 90s, but what about the ballads of the 2020s? Who is flying the flag for the musically epic and emotionally uplifting today? Lord knows we need it now more than ever!

Thankfully, my prayers have been answered in the form of Sterling Miller’s new single “Weight of Your Love”. Finally, a song with no computer-generated music, no auto-tune, no derogatory lyrics, just real-life instruments excellently handled and a powerful voice that has something to say.

Although it is technically listed as a rock song, “Weight of Your Love” has so many other little nuances and homages to other genres of the past mixed in that it really is an American southern gumbo of musical flavor. The guitar does a stellar job in capturing the mood of the theme, and the female backing vocals come in at just the right time to add an air of the divine that is simply sublime!

With that said, even though the song is rather downbeat in nature and tackles the matters of heartache that we have all faced at one time or another, there is an undeniably uplifting and inspiring quality encased within it also. This is no doubt thanks in part to Sterling’s rugged and compelling voice.

It is a real skill that only a few great artists have been able to really achieve, to be able to turn something sad into something encouraging and inspiring. If someone was passing by while “Weight of Your Love” was playing and weren’t paying full attention to the words, they would doubtlessly walk away feeling invigorated and empowered.

And perhaps that is the greatest talent and purpose of the musician: to transmute the energy of pain into a force for good. Sterling Miller certainly achieved this with this song anyway. It is a worthy addition to any playlist, and I look forward to listening to the full album when it comes out.