Beyond The Beat Season 2 Episode 2 – ‘So True’

One of Aotearoa’s most beloved reggae anthems takes on a completely different emotional weight when Jaedyn Randell transforms The Black Seeds’ So True into an intimate R&B ballad.

Meeting Barnaby Weir and Daniel Weetman from The Black Seeds, Jaedyn learns where So True began. Barnaby reflects on writing the lyrics about someone he loved at the time, and the band talks about never anticipating the extraordinary life the song would go on to have. What began as a love song between two people has, over the years, come to represent love much more broadly – for partners, friends, family, and the people who matter most.

Jaedyn is honoured to be trusted with a song that carries so much history, but when she enters the studio with resident producer Mazbou Q, she knows she wants to make its meaning personal.

The emotional heart of the episode comes when Jaedyn is asked about the bigger dream behind everything she is working toward. Her answer is simple: to make her whānau proud.

The emotion quickly catches up with her, bringing the episode back to exactly what her version of So True has become: a song about love not only as something romantic, but as the support, responsibility and connection that grounds you.

Beyond The Beat is an Aotearoa music series created and directed by Gal Hochman and produced by Chillbox.

The series brings artists from different musical worlds together to unpack, reinterpret and transform songs from Aotearoa, giving audiences an intimate look at the creativity, collaboration and stories behind the music.

Produced by Chillbox Creative and made with the support of NZ On Air.

View Beyond The Beat Season 2 on YouTube.

Photo Credit: Chontalle Musson