Two Sisters Perform Stunning Easter Version Of 'Hallelujah'

Apr 16, 2021

Cassandra and Callahan Armstrong, respectively 10 and 19 years old, touched the hearts of viewers when they shared their performance of an Easter version of “Hallelujah” online and received millions of hits. The video was released in March 2021. The sisters are from Ontario, Canada, and have been using their incredible talent to lift people’s spirits this year.

In the video, the girls are singing together over the light of a candle. The effect is haunting when mixed with their angelic voices and the powerful score. Cassandra sings the first verse, followed by Callahan with the second. And then they sing the rest of the song together in unison. The girls’ voices harmonize perfectly with one another.

With low lighting, dark clothing and intense eye contact between the sisters while they sing, the effect is very dramatic and can give you chills while listening from home. It takes real talent to provide such an intense viewing experience, especially at such young ages.

The description on the video says that the song was originally recorded for their grandparents who have been struggling for the past year and could use some extra joy in their lives. Now that the song has been shared online, the sisters and their family are incredibly moved to see everyone’s reactions.  

The video has helped young Cassandra get her singing career started. After posting videos of her singing throughout 2020, and now with the viral success of this Easter video, she has received the attention of big-time producers from both Broadway and Hollywood. Her mother, Nikki Armstrong, says that she has been going to auditions via video chat and that everyone is very hopeful for her future.

Nikki gave a quote to TBNewsWatch, saying, "It's hard to even describe how we are feeling. We have received thousands of messages from every country. The kind words and personal stories from so many people are overwhelming."

Cassandra left this message on her YouTube channel, “We almost cried when we read what you said to us. We are so happy that we touched your hearts because that is what we wanted. We wish we could hug all of you because you are all very special and kind. The world is really sad right now and we wanted to give you hope. Everything is going to be okay we just need to love each other more.”

She is clearly very grateful for the kind outpouring of love for the video. Her reaction seems genuine and makes sense when you learn hard she has been trying to lift others’ spirits with her music.

The original song was written and performed by Leonard Cohen. However, the new lyrics were written by Kelley Mooney to make the song more appropriate for Easter. The original lyrics of the song tell the story of the romance between two people, but the song is so powerful and well-known Mooney decided to rewrite the lyrics to try and reach even more people with Easter’s message of hope.

The story of Easter comes from the New Testament of the Bible and says that after Jesus was crucified, he rose again after three days. In the Easter version of “Hallelujah,” sung by the Armstrong sisters, you hear the same story retold with a hauntingly beautiful tone. 

Here is an example of the changed lyrics, “Soon all the world would feel the loss, Of Christ the King before His Hallelujah.” You can really get a sense of the story of Easter from the new version of the popular song. 

Nikki shared this Bible verse to represent what Easter means to her, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’” 

The passage is from the Book of John chapter 11, verses 25 through 26. The Armstrong family is openly religious and uses their content to spread positive messages.

Two sisters, Cassandra and Callahan, take the world by storm with their moving Easter rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” The girls give it their all in an incredible performance that will give you chills. 

They harmonize perfectly and really portray emotion for the words they are singing. They show an immense talent for being so young. And it appears that Cassandra’s career as a singer is just getting started.

According to the Toronto Star, Cassandra was given the opportunity to perform a song by author and songwriter, Carolyn Sloan, after she shared a video of herself reading one of Carolyn’s stories. Carolyn was moved by Cassandra’s desire to bring joy to others through storytelling, so she invited Cassandra to record one of her songs titled “Give Love.”

The song was adapted into this Easter version by Kelley Mooney, and the video has reached millions of people around the world. Both Cassandra and her mother have shared their gratitude for such a welcoming and warm response from viewers. 

Did you enjoy this Easter version of the song? Do you find it moving? Please let us know, and be sure to pass this story along to your loved ones as well.