COLLABORATIONS, "You Gotta Know"

When the ensemble of powerhouse musicians known as Collaborations emerged from Horizon Music Studios in West Haven, CT in early 2025 with their debut album Songs from the Heart, Vol. 1, the major story was the cleverly throwback nickname they gave themselves.

With rhythm guitarist Ed Daniels (who wrote their music and developed the themes for the songs), producer Vic Steffans and co-producer/orchestrator Matt Oestreicher (Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga) paving the infectious, emotionally evocative way, the group dubbed themselves “The East Coast Wrecking Crew,” a nod to the 60’s and 70s collective of powerhouse, behind the scenes L.A. session musicians who created the magic behind hundred of beloved hit songs.

With the release of their inspiring, anthemic follow-up single “You Gotta Know,” the narrative evolves from those foundations to empowering socially conscious messaging and the emergence of the sweetly soulful, silky-toned lead vocalist Anais Preller from the numerous singers who were part of the Collaborations collective on the album. Backed by the stellar, buoyant rhythm section of Oestreicher (piano), Daniels (rhythm guitar), bassist Scott Spray (Johnny Winter, Harry Chapin), drummer Tommy Naggy (Lucky Peterson) and elevated by lead guitarist Tim DeHuff (George Duke, Lee Ritenour), Oestreicher’s swelling orchestrated strings and soothing harmony vocals by Kevin Monroe/Simone Brown & Devotion, it’s a mid-tempo, uplifting delight whose feel good, upbeat vibe perfectly matches the Preller’s insightful, encouraging lyrics.

Spirituality has always been part of human nature, and there’s always a tendency to look outside ourselves to God or the Universe for divine intervention when life becomes too difficult. Often these kinds of songs come from the gospel realm, seeking the Lord’s action to make things better for us. But what if the secret of transcendence lies in the human spirit itself – and that’s actually what divine power and love is?

That’s what “You Gotta Know” is saying with a line like, “maybe the answer’s not in the sky” and in this extraordinary, motivational three-line sequence: “this is all our weight to bear/we can lift it if we care” and “it doesn’t have to be all up in the air.” Early in the song, Peller boldly sings “Tell me who carved life in stone,” as if to remind us that we have the collective power to change things, if only we have the courage. Other key lines find Preller wondering “Why can’t we change it all with a passion” and offering some cautious hope that “maybe we’re freer than we imagined” and that “maybe the time to change is today.”

Though it’s pop and adult contemporary music by genre definition, lyrically “You Gotta Know” makes a case for a new category called “secular gospel” as it takes Collaborations to the next level in establishing them as a musical force. It’s a day brightener and might just nudge your heart in the right direction whether you stream the audio, check out the official video of all the band members working together in the studio, or check out the lyric video someone put together and posted on YouTube.