God Bless The Child (Rehearsal)

This version of *God Bless The Child (rehearsal 2)* brings us closer to the intimacy of an artist in the midst of a creative process. With a duration of just 1:08, this rehearsal take captures a raw and honest moment, very different from the polished interpretations we usually hear. It's like peeking into the kitchen where the magic was being made, allowing us to connect with the essence of the performance before it becomes the final product.

The figure behind this unmistakable voice is Billie Holiday, also known as Lady Day. Born Eleanora Fagan Gough in Philadelphia in 1915, her path was marked by adversity from a very young age. Raised in Baltimore by teenage parents, her father, Clarence Holiday, a jazz guitarist, abandoned her as a baby. Her mother, Sarah Fagan, barely a child herself, often left her in the care of others, which resulted in a difficult childhood. At ten years old, she suffered a sexual assault and was admitted to a rehabilitation center. At twelve, she was already working cleaning brothels, and at fourteen, living with her mother in New York, she was forced into prostitution. Her life took a turn in 1930, when, looking for money to avoid eviction, she entered a Harlem bar. After a failed attempt as a dancer, she surprised the pianist with her voice and secured a steady job. Her musical training was self-taught, learning by listening to figures like Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong.