When the late great Leonard Cohen wrote his iconic song “Hallelujah,” he never dreamed it would be as big as it has become. The reason is that it was largely an obscure song that didn’t get a lot of recognition when it was first released. However, it’s been covered by artists all over the world by now. Cohen’s songs are legendary and explore every aspect of the human condition, including loss, death, love, depression, politics, relationships, and more. Cohen is one of the most significant musical influences of the generation he hailed from and he was good at his craft, unbelievably good, as a matter of fact.
When “Hallelujah” first was released in 1984, it didn’t go far, but it later became one of the most recognizable songs in mainstream culture. How did this happen? Well, it’s all thanks to a lovable green ogre named Shrek. When the hit movie “Shrek” was released, there was a scene in which Shrek and his love interest, Princess Fiona, had an argument about her upcoming marriage. She didn’t love the man she was being forced to marry and Shrek was angry. When the two parted angrily, the song “Hallelujah” began to play, sung by Canadian musician Rufus Wainwright. The song was deeply poignant.
This song was chosen over many others because the directors were listening to different songs and this one just clicked. Although it’s been covered extensively, one rendition of this beautiful song has gotten a lot of attention. Inka Gold is a duo of two brothers who bring together modern songs with the rich Native American cultures and traditions with which they were raised. They uniquely interpret popular songs and their renditions delight millions of people all over the world. The brothers were born in Ecuador’s Andes Mountains, but today, Pablo Santiago Morales Vega and Oscar Andres live in New Mexico.
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The brothers are members of the ancient South American tribe known as Inca. They began playing instruments at a young age, with Santiago learning stringed instruments and Oscar mastering the pan flute. Watch below as these talented brothers brilliantly perform “Hallelujah.”
