The art of losing

Whether affected by broken dreams, a break-up, or bereavement, these artists have explored loss in their new singles.

Carleton Stone: when reality overtakes dreams
Charlotte Sands: getting lost and found
Ian Lake: a loss song masquerading as a love song
Cassidy Mann: as sweetness fades
Mo Kenney: hope in heartache
Mobina Galore: punk Golden Girls celebrate a life well-lived
Charissa: a hymnal tribute following a shocking loss

Carleton Stone: when reality overtakes dreams

Carleton Stone was intrigued by a photo of his dad’s ’77 Monte Carlo at a scenic lookout in Nova Scotia. He was stunned to hear what happened to the car, and by extension, that sense of limitless freedom: “When you were born, we couldn’t fit the baby seat in the back.”

Stone discussed the experience with his Port Cities bandmate Kayleigh O’Connor. They opened up about things they had also lost in the pursuit of their dreams.

The result, Monte Carlo, is a powerful slice of spine-tingling nostalgia.

“Twenty bucks on the dash/
Oh, and he’d hit the gas and he’d say I can have it if I can reach it/
Now it feels like a memory I borrowed/
Just chasing down freedom in my dad’s Monte Carlo.”

Charlotte Sands: getting lost and found

Charlotte Sands explores being literally and metaphorically lost while growing up. She keeps moving on from emotional losses strewn around the suburbs and the city. She’s learning in retrospect but always centred by the refrain: “I know things will turn out fine though.”

Lost is catchy af, singalong pop-punk banger of the type that could easily have been a hit for Blink-182 or Good Charlotte back in the day. She’s sure to play it when supporting My Chemical Romance (!) in Milton Keynes on May 22, 2022.

Ian Lake: a loss song masquerading as a love song

Ian Lake’s single, More, came from recognising and exploring the gravity of a journal entry: “I wanna be around you more, more than you wanna be around.”

It was the last song he wrote for his debut album, What It Is, which brought him hope and acceptance at a low point in his life.

Cassidy Mann: as sweetness fades

Cassidy Mann also plays with sonic expectations to explore loss. Tropical Sour Candy is a modern pop banger describing the impact of the end of a relationship in its most tangiable, everyday forms.

“I’m still a mess/I can taste the love we had left…coffee and your kiss/I miss it all the time.”

Mann sees the song as a “container to hold the many memories and little details that I was missing as I went through the process of letting go.”

With You by Mo Kenney: hope in heartache

Acclaimed Canadian musician Mo Kenney notes that “in real life, heartbreak rarely sounds or feels like the grand earthquake its name suggests…[With You is] about my own messy, true-to-life experience with loss, reflecting on dashed dreams, miscommunications, and moments of quiet connection.”

Kenney aims to express hopefulness despite the tenor and tone of the song.

“I just wanted something new and I wanted it with you…maybe in another life I’ll reconcile my heart of mine.”

Mobina Galore: punk Golden Girls celebrate a life well-lived

Jenna Priestner of Mobina Galore was crushed to learn she couldn’t go to her grandma’s funeral due to touring commitments. She leaned into her road family to find joy and life in loss: “Grandma’s favourite drink was a whiskey water. We drank one in her honour that night on tour.”

The video for Whiskey Water is a fitting tribute to a life well-lived by living life well.

Charissa: a hymnal tribute following a shocking loss

Charissa’s timeless tribute is powerful and poignant, universal and specific. Tragically, the person who needed to hear People Like You most never will: “he was such a bright, funny, and kind person on the outside. [This] is what I wish I could have said to him if I had known about his struggles.”

Are you struggling?

In the UK and Ireland, you can call Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie
If you need to chat by text for mental health support, text SHOUT to 85258
International helplines are listed at befrienders.org

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