Final Fantasy IX "To Be Forgotten" 3:00

Happy International Women's Day! As the proud product of a determined single mom, lucky husband of a strong, intelligent wife, and befuddled girl dad of a cuddly, sassy sweetie, it's time to celebrate ladies, ladies, ladies as we show love and appreciation to the women in our lives. There's no better way to do that around these parts than by spotlighting female ReMixers, so let's quickly shine the light on 5!

First up, Pipko Fanfare follows up her Final Fantasy VI debut with a measured-then-mega build for Final Fantasy IX's "Freya"!

"An orchestral remix of "Freya's Theme" from Final Fantasy IX by Nobuo Uematsu. I wanted to make this mix have a huge dynamic range from whisper quiet solo winds to massive and bombastic full orchestra and back. I think I succeeded in that goal, and some real dramatic storytelling happens in the music as a result."

The wide range is indeed hard to ignore, though props to Pipko for priming the listener to appreciate the payoff, pulled off nicely from the POV of then-judge Flexstyle:

"Clearly a sequenced orchestra, but you've done pretty well with it overall. The arrangement has purpose and direction, the source clearly shines through, the dynamic range is lovely, the mix is clean enough to make it all work together. No complaints here, let's get this one on the front page!"

No more delays, prepare for Pipko's power! "Freya's Theme" is a classic theme with a classic arc, but her switch to orchestral really gives it a fresh coat of paint. If you think this has peaked by the time you reach 1:41, your ears aren't ready for what happens afterward. Pipko's fanfare for Freya is not to be forgotten, trust us! ;-)