FFXIV - Close in the Distance (with 1000 Singers from the community)

FINAL FANTASY XIV - Close In The Distance (with 1000 Singers from the FFXIV Community).
Based on the original song by Masayoshi Soken & Jason Charles Miller from FFXIV Endwalker and dedicated to the community and creators of the game.
-------- ▼WITH SPECIAL GUESTS ▼-------
- The 1000 FFXIV community members who sang with us, check the top comments to see their names.

-------- ▼SPECIAL THANKS TO ▼-------
- DenmoMcStrongHuge ( @mcstronghuge for his amazing video editing)
- AruvnMusic ( @Aruvn for his help with mixing the audio)
-------- ▼LINKS▼-------

-------- ▼FOLLOW ME▼-------

[AlexMoukalaMusic]

In honor of Masayoshi Soken's story and courage, I'll do my best to assure that this video's monetization will go to some good charities.
So make sure to watch it a lot and share it with your FFXIV friends! Each time you'll watch it, you'll contribute to having a positive impact on the world.
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Once again, a special thanks goes to all the amazing guest singers who took part in this, each of them fantastic in their own way. And even more so to Denmo, who did a formidable job with editing this beast of a video. This project would simply not have been the same without him.
Please check the description to find links to both the singers and Denmo's YouTube channels, they're filled with so much wonder. Some of them even uploaded their own versions of Close In The Distance!
And also, a huge thanks also to the 1000+ of you who contributed to our rendition here.
I'll try to credit them here in the comments.

[thecthuloser]

I'm not ashamed to admit when all the voices hit, I cried.

[lyraspasar]

"So long as you harbor love for the world, there will allways be a place for you in it." -Naoki Yoshida
Thank you, Yoshi P.

[Huskybythegeek]

The FFXIV Community is the best. Thank you everyone !!

[bclapable]

Imagine reaching a fanbase so deeply that they collaborate in a singalong to one of your incredible

[maracaegrizzley]

A year ago yesterday I woke up in a hospital with no idea how I'd gotten there. I was already pre-ordered for Endwalker and I was praying that the cancer wouldn't kill me before I could be part of it. I'd heard Soken's words and as someone facing that same trial, I took hope from his survival. That day, a year ago, I found out that the cancer *had* killed me. But I faced that bird and told her to back off, it was too soon for my journey to end. I had to relearn how to sit up. How to lift my arms enough to even feed myself. How to stand and walk. So many things we take for granted I had to rebuild from the ground up.

All this to say, holy crap the FEELS I get from the expac, the music, the characters, and the fact that they put my character through the same wringer that I'd already been through just to SEE the story. I think that's why it's not letting me go. Why I really don't *want* it to let me go. I want to remember everything. Every blessed, beautiful moment of heartbreak and joy.

What y'all have done is amazing and a tribute to the work that the storytellers and developers and everyone have put into making this game, this WORLD that we all love so much. I can readily imagine how editing this together was an epic endeavor itself. My only complaint is that y'all didn't do the whole song. I understand why. *This much alone* was probably an achievement beyond all expectation. But, like the story, I didn't want it to end.

Thank the Twelve that one story's ending was the beginning of another.

[mcstronghuge]

2 weeks of straight editing and 900 videos later. I can only imagine how hard the audio side was. Thanks Alex again for letting me be part of another dream project!!

[siegeorion]

I want see to Masayoshi Soken and Yoshi-P’s reaction to THIS version of Close in the Distance.
I know they are aware of the impact FFXIV has made on so many people, however, I’m not positive that they truly understand just how much.
This song was my guiding light. In many ways still is. I lost my grandmother on Nov 23. 2021; it was devastating for me. As long time FFXIV player (Day 1 on PS3) I eagerly waited the release of Endwalker. I just wanted something to hide in, to forget all of the pain I was feeling…. Unfortunately Endwalker kind of exasperated everything, but I pushed through, all the way Ultima Thule where all that pain came back in full force.
Close in The Distance helped overcome my grief. It helped me guide through all that pain and though I still miss my grandmother, I know she is in a better place.

This rendition of Close in The Distance is amazingly beautiful and well deserved among collaborations of one of the greatest fan base and communities ever to exist.

Alex Moukala and all that helped make this rendition a reality, Thank You.

FFXIV and the Community. Yoshi-P, Masayoshi Soken and all of the devs and creators that worked on Final Fantasy XIV, you will have my eternal gratitude. For if it wasn’t for you, I would still be lost in that grief.
One day, I hope to be able meet Yoshi-P and Masayoshi Soken and express my gratitude, like I said: Thank You

Siege Rhayne of Lamia

[RobotSavetheworld]

I come back to this every now and again, and every time that chorus hits with everyone joining in, I'm a crying wreck. It's a a real, tangible example of "everyone in the world's prayers are with you" and it always hits like a train.

[HouseKatArmy]

As a person with a disability that keeps me house bound a lot, this game has given me life, friends, and community - this brought tears to my eyes <3

[lollia_official]

Words can't describe how exciting and joyful it is to sing alongside so many amazing individuals. The FFXIV community is truly amazing. A masterpiece. Thank you, Alex🖤

[alyssaayy]

Susan Calloway?!? Amanda Achen??!? J'NIQUE NICOLE????!!?! that's amazing that they agreed to lend their voice for this! and hat's off to you alex and the rest of the team for putting this together!

[rext.b.]

This took 3 weeks and I dunno if anyone cares but I just realized that this song can basically be described as a message FROM those we have lost, and TO those we can yet save.

[LittleLordAlphinaud]

This is the video that got me off my backside and made me book in for my first appointment for my XIV tattoo sleeve.

It got finished in December, a little over a year after i got it started, and it's now the favourite part of my body. It covers my scars, and reminds me to forge ahead no matter what's in my way.

[JNiqueNicole]

Wow this turned out so beautifully! I am honored to have been apart of such an amazing project. Everyone did a wonderful job contributing. Thank you so much for the opportunity! 🙏🏾💕

[tenshiaimi]

When you see the singers who sang Answers/Dragonsong, Weight of the world, Flow/Tomorrow and Tomorrow among the guest ... You know the song will hit harder than a thousand trucks

[Amandaachen_official]

Alex! How epic and special is this?! What an honor to be a part of such an inimitable community! Thanks for all you do, for bringing us all together, and for the work involved in creating this! You rock my friend!

[tarawilliams]

Some people *feel* music, not just hear it...
The first person to explain that to me, to show me what that meant, was my Mother.
For her, it was gospel, "How Great Thou Art" in particular.
The sound of a choir, rising up, in reverence or joy, together, will always be a special sound to me because of that.

She passed at the end of May, 30 days after her 64th birthday, and I was Not ready for something to sucker punch me with the same cold chills Mom spoke of, and to look down at my arm in the middle of listening to an audio and see them on my skin, too.

I would give a lot, in honesty, to be able to share this with her-- with the one who showed me to *feel*, and not just hear, the voices of others. And I can't send it to the one person who I know would understand the sudden chill I got from this, because even if she didn't understand why... she'd understand the power of it. Because music means different things, to different people, and I know she would understand that.

So, from someone who's been on this journey since Final Fantasy XI, who felt Endwalker a bit too deeply, and who needed this far more than she wants to admit... Thank you, Mr. Moukala, for putting this together.

And to the others, who may or may not ever scroll past this; who needed a song to remind them, to always keep going, even when it's hard... The sun will shine again, so always, *always*, forge ahead, 'til the end. <3

[kaseyj]

2 years later I still get teared up on the chorus.

And why isn't this at 1 million + views yet?

[jwang]

As one of the legacy players, this made me cry. How much I'll leave up to your imagination, but I can say without shame that it's because the dev team showed us that they truly cared about this game, and was willing to pour their life into making it good. From the rebirth at the end of Meteor, to the journey to world's end, they made themselves a part of the community; they heard our voices, felt our frustrations and joys, and carefully thought what would make the best player experience. They poured their heart and soul into this game, showing that this game was not merely a product for profit. No, this was a work of passion, something that is meant to be a magnum opus for everyone on the team.

And we as a community has reciprocated that love back. How many hours has gone into carefully crafting your Warrior of Light's glamour into making it as perfect as it can be? How many dungeons and raids have you ran, with friends and strangers, veterans and novices? How many conversations and arguments did you have with the rest of the community over the lore, in poring over the minute details that tie together, only to be blindsided by a revelation that came to you in an instant? How many tears have you shed, as the story took you through moments of highs and lows, from your greatest triumphs to your worst failures and back?

Some day, XIV's servers will shut down, and people would forget that there was once this magical place where we made our first steps into the world of Eorzea. But until then, and every day afterwards, I will forever remain a proud Warrior of Light, Sword and Shield of Eorzea and member of this amazing community.