Tash Sultana covers dark and haunting 'Through The Valley' song for 'The Last of Us Part II' video game launch
On the occasion of the popular post-apocalyptic video game 'The Last of Us Part II' releasing worldwide on June 19, PlayStation Australia roped in Aussie music star Tash Sultana to perform a music cover from the Playstation-exclusive game as part of their celebratory launch. Capable of playing over 20 different musical instruments, Sultana is a vibrant live performer and has been described as a one-person band thanks to their viral hits like 'Jungle', 'Notion', 'Mystik' and 'Pretty Lady'.
As part of the premiere of 'The Last of Us Part II', Sultana performed a rendition of ‘Through The Valley’, a song originally performed by the game's protagonist Ellie in a 2016 reveal trailer. The dark and haunting folk tune was originally written by Shawn James and struck a chord with fans immediately on its release, featuring biblical lyrics like "Cause I walk through the valley of the shadow of death / And I'll fear no evil because I'm blind." You can check out the atmospheric cover below.
'Through The Valley' was a "#1 hit in several markets when featured in the 2016 reveal trailer for The Last Of Us Part II," said Patrick Lagana, the Director of Marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment Australia. He also added, "So recreating this with a phenomenal Aussie talent like Tash Sultana truly creates a special Australian moment to mark the launch of one of our biggest titles for PS4."
"This is the first time I’ve done a collab like this," Tash admitted in a press statement. "Usually it’s kinda just like writing sessions with other musos but this is for a game and it’s different as it's not my usual style to venture into." They also stated, "I'm completely honored to be asked to do something like this. I can’t wait to see it in the game world."
Fans of Sultana and the video game were understandably pretty thrilled on hearing the new take of the song. One fan gushed, "I seriously can't get over your voice, it is intoxicatingly beautiful." Another fan exclaimed, "This is actually so cool and an amazing opportunity, I hope everyone who buys this game becomes a fan!" Another fan declared, "This is absolutely apt. Perfect in every sense."
One fan said, "Oh my, two of my favorite things just came together and I couldn't be happier. Tash you're beyond amazing," while others declared "This is a masterpiece!" and "I have goosebumps everywhere. This song is a gift."