Behind the Song “Queen of Our Hearts”

In honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrating her 70 years on the English throne, coloratura soprano Christina Johnston and composers Andrew Rayner and Wendy Rayner will be releasing a new single “Queen of Our Hearts.” The piece is a tribute to the Queen for her reign and has been heard and approved by her.

The track is now available to pre-order on all major digital platforms and will be released on 6th May. Learn more about this special single from Christina in her own words.

“It’s such an honor to present this song of dedication to the Queen. I have a tremendous love and respect for her Majesty, she has dedicated her life to her people and is a true reflection of grace and service. This year we all have the chance to reflect on how much the Queen has given to us all. I wanted a song that reigned true with words that describe our thanks to her.”

The Song Meaning

Myself and Andrew Rayner in 2021 wanted to write a new album of Classical Crossover music – I came up with an idea to write a song for Her Majesty. We finished it in October 2021 and are really proud of the anthem we created!

Creating “Queen of Our Hearts”
We first came up with the idea and melody in the summer of 2021 – I then wrote the lyrics alongside Andrew and Wendy Rayner. It was a fantastic process but one that took a while to get the words how we wanted them – not a worshipful song but a song of dedication and thanks.
All the elements we came up with together so it is wonderful to create such a beautiful song and one I can say I co-wrote. I’m most excited about the sentiment to Her Majesty and was so proud that she has heard it and wrote a beautiful letter back to us to say how much she enjoyed it and was grateful for our sentiment towards her.

Queen of our hearts – Available May 6th on Apple Music, Spotify, and all major streaming platforms.

www.christinajohnstonofficial.com

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Natasha Barbieri, Editor

Editor

Creator of Classical Crossover Magazine. For Natasha music has always been closely tied to her faith. At age 18, Natasha made her opera debut playing the part of the mother in Menotti’s ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ with the Eastern Festival Opera. At 20, she was a winner of the 2011 Young Artist Competition at Andrews University. Natasha graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor’s of Music. Natasha has released a series of Holiday singles “A Place Called Home” (2020), “One Little Boy,” and “The Perfect Year” (2021). In 2021, she was nominated for the ‘Future Classic Women Awards’ show on Men’s & Women’s Radio Station. Natasha is the creator and editor of ‘Classical Crossover Magazine’ a venture that has allowed her to interview many of the top stars in the genre including Sarah Brightman, Celtic Woman, Mirusia, Paul Potts, and more. During the covid-19 pandemic, she created an online concert series for the magazine that has seen her perform in the same line-up as Alex Sharpe, Lucy Kay, Barbara Padilla, Classical Reflection, and more on the virtual stage. In 2022, Natasha was included on the charity album “Stars of Classical Crossover: Christmas” in benefit of the Wallace & Gromit Children’s Charity.