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Lyrical Honesty & Vulnerability
The great Lucinda Williams once wrote that “ lyrical honesty is necessary in writing ” and that as songwriters we must “ uncensor ” our lyrics when telling a story . Whether it be an emotive heartbroken ballad or an uplifting ode to life and all its dance club glory , you are unveiling the truth . I too hold this method close to my heart . As a writer , performer , recording artist , and avid lover of live music , I can hear and see when songs connect with an audience . They are the naked , heart-baring , shocking , and vulnerable songs that resonate with people and ultimately change lives . On my most recent album , Love & Lust , I featured one of the most vulnerable songs I ’ ve written to date . Titled “ Mariah ,” it was named point blank after the mistress that had been having an affair with my partner for nearly two
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years . I was apprehensive of releasing it in fear of retaliation or exposing the bitter details of my personal life , but after seeing how strongly my family , friends , and fans reacted to the initial demos , I began to see how much the song resonated with my listeners and helped them through similar scenarios .
In using this example , I hope to highlight the importance of vulnerability in songwriting . When you allow your music , ideas , and experience to be exposed to ridicule , praise , or shock , you are doing your courageous job as a songwriter . I truly believe that songwriters are healers and insanely sensitive and intuitive human beings . Our desire is to create but our job is to be vulnerable , no matter how uncomfortable it is .
Finding Your Voice I mean this in the emotional and audible sense . Obviously the audible voice we were born with and honed over many years of
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talent shows is our voice and gift – but I am also speaking of our voice as an emotional message . What are you trying to say ? What are you really trying to write about ? I believe it takes years to find this groove and to discover yourself as a maturing artist , and is perhaps something that takes time to find . But to truly find your emotional voice , you need to turn off the noise , fads , trends , and pressure around you . If you can do that you will discover something authentic – and so will your audiences . People can hear whether something is real or not , whether it was forced or ingenuine . So , it is our job as songwriters to be genuine , real , raw , and honest in our message . For me , that is art . Art is honesty .
Connecting with the Song & Becoming an Emotional Singer My mother tells me that I was singing far before I learned to speak . I think that is true for
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many of us , but for me , singing has always felt incredibly calming and spiritual . I feel the sensation all across my body and in my core .
For those of us who tour or suffer from stage fright ( that ’ s me !) exhaustion and nerves can get in the way of connecting with the song and convincingly singing it with true emotion . I ’ m still working on this one but find that preshow meditation helps me cancel out the anxiety and buzz from the venue and show preparation . This way I can enter the stage with a calm mind and expel any type of doubt or critical thoughts . It is here that I can connect with each song and hold the audience – and their emotional attention – in the palm of my hand and in a real way .
I highly recommend you be brutally honest in your writing . What ’ s the point in writing or singing a song that doesn ’ t have balls ?
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32 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN |