AS many Jamaicans feel desolate due to the COVID-19 pandemic, gospel artiste Carlene Davis hopes to render reassurance through her latest single.

“I used to listen to this song in my living room all the time while growing up, because my father loved music. It became one of my all-time favourites. Last year, my husband and I went into the studio and I heard the song again, and we both decided it was time to record it. We didn’t know what we were going to do with it yet, but we still went ahead. I want to speak to people’s lives through this song, and bring encouragement and healing,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The single, titled You’ve Got A Friend, will be released on June 19. It was recorded at Jimmy Cliff’s SunPower Recording Studios in Kingston, with Dave Green on drums, Lloyd Parks on bass, keyboardist Robbie Lyn, guitarist Brandon Benjamin, and backing vocals by Pam Hall.

You’ve Got A Friend was written by American singer Carole King in 1970. It was first recorded and released on her classic Tapestry album in 1971. Not long after, it was re-recorded by James Taylor, became his biggest hit and his only number one hit song in America.

Barbara Streisand, Michael Jackson, Donny Hathaway, Randy Newman, and Tammy Wynette have also covered You’ve Got A Friend.

Davis describes her rendition as “smooth, uplifting, strong and convincing”.

She is pleased at how digitised society has become, so that more people can hear songs such as You’ve Got A Friend.

“Back when that song was first recorded, you had to buy copies in order to hear it, but nowadays there are so many different platforms that people are using to uplift each other,” she said.

The gospel artiste was living in Canada at the time You’ve Got A Friend and Tapestry were released. After a successful secular career, Davis converted to Christianity 25 years ago.

She is known for songs such as Stand Up For Jesus, Holy Holy Holy, My Forever Friend and This Island Needs Jesus.

Davis’ husband, Tommy Cowan, expects the project to be well-received.

“This song is timeless, and I’ve always believed that a true artiste’s obligation is to record good songs and with the times we are in, messages with this kind of melody will have us singing again. We’re looking to come out of this pandemic with Jamaica being a better place to live; [citizens] loving and caring for each other,” he said.