A Love Letter to Songwriters

When I was fourteen years old my musical palette was limited. Before I entered the doors of high school the music I was exposed to was the oldies station my mom listened to in the car, hand me down cd’s including but not limited to Britney Spears, N’SYNC as well as Hilary Duff, a pop genius that to this day I still jam to. I had yet to develop my own sense of taste when it came to melodies, lyrics and the singers that brought them to life. Not long after I found my little group of comrades in my freshman year did I learn that I needed to up my game if I was going to fit in. And that is where this love story begins.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been envious of songwriters. Their innate ability to encapsulate a feeling inside a melody, an emotional upheaval in a bridge, a catchy phrase in a chorus, never ceases to entice me. The way in which they can bring together an entire audience of strangers to scream back lyrics that mean something different for every single person...it’s like magic. The artistry is incredibly captivating. I’ve always loved stories and singer/songwriters tell theirs through their music with a vulnerability that most people can’t even face themselves, let alone with the entire world. It’s words they want to say, to themselves, to their friend, their boyfriend, their girlfriend, their crush, the person who hurt them, but the words never came. That’s where the artist steps in, takes what they’re feeling and puts it to music. That’s how they cope, it’s how they process things that happen to them, or don’t. And I am completely enthralled by it. 

As a writer, the only way I know how to make sense of anything is to write it out. Writing is therapeutic. The minute I let my fingers grace the keyboard it’s difficult to stop the outpouring of words that don’t seem to flow from me quite as naturally as they do on paper. Even if I don’t post it, or hit send, getting those words and overwhelming feelings off my shoulders, the more perspective I gain. You don’t realize how much weight emotions have on your mind until you set yourself free from their grasp. 

Songwriting is, essentially, exposing your heart to the world around you. It’s like cutting open your chest, ripping your heart out from its cavity and giving a piece of yourself to every single person that hits play. It’s brave and it’s freeing and it’s a gift. It’s storytelling, but it’s real and it’s raw and it’s not only healing for the writer, but the listener as well. It’s one of the purest forms of human connection that we are capable of, and I want to say thank you to every singer/songwriter that has put their blood, sweat, tears and entire emotional spectrum on the line, to make a little person like myself feel better for a minute or two. You are the protectors of the heart and the forces that guide the lost souls home. 

Thank you for having the courage to share your stories of loss, heartbreak, uncertainty, fear, happiness, love, and joy with the rest of us. It is truly an honor to be a part of your journey.

                                                       Never forget the essence of your spark!
                                                                              Maire