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Loss and grief management were gigantic emotional factors that singer Jessie J expressed through her new song, a daring ballad for which she kept silent for five years until finally releasing it. This track has been like sharing a part of their sorrow with us, which is why it led to in-depth sharing and storytelling from the audience during her latest performances. Jessie J’s candid musings turned out to be a phenomenon of music’s rare knack for providing solace to the people around the world in their hard times.
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One very emotive recording came into existence and was made available to the public by Jessie J who fessed up about her frailty. In a most touching Instagram post, the singer related the audience’s response to the new track as being both very difficult and very lovely over the past two weeks. He saw the pain and grief written large on the faces of those who came to his concerts, and he was fortunate enough to get to hear the most intimate stories of the people who were attending his concerts and so he felt a sort of lonely togetherness in grief. He said it was a very stark reminder of how many people are fighting to cope with loss while living.
The song’s lyrics that ask the unanswerable question ‘How could you say goodbye? Without saying goodbye?’ are very poignantly and delicately mirroring an unexpected and unexplained death. The pop diva disclosed that she was performing it with very honest and exposed words to make it impossible for anyone, even herself, to escape the pain. She also revealed that she kept the song for five years and every time she heard it she cried again, thus pushing her to the grieving she had already avoided. ‘I am really glad that I can now share that with you,’ she said, thus questioning the need for support in solitude. ‘There is no other way but to hold each other, connect, cry and laugh together, and also do so separately in our own way.’
The very initial response from her following was pretty emotional and quite strong. One admirer dubbed it ‘the most raw, deep, emotional song I’ve ever listened to’ and at the same time termed the song ‘definitely new.’ Another listener spoke of it as ‘a silent hug to every single person,’ which perfectly captured the both comforting and painful aspects of the tune.
Through many of the comments made on social networks, the song has emotionally hit a great number of people very hard. One comment was from a person who said, ‘I lost my partner to suicide, and this song definitely goes right to the feels.’ Another comment was from a person saying ’11 years back my best friend, who was a huge fan of yours, committed suicide. I could feel every second of this song. Thank you.’ These expressions of gratitude not only testify but also underline the painful and direct link the song has for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one through suicide, which is also the reason why this search for ‘reason’ is a central theme in the lyrics.
To some, it seems that the live performance has changed them. A concert goer recounted, ‘The first time I heard this song I had a complete meltdown, but when I saw the last week, it was a different story. It made it possible for me to experience the loss differently and somehow get closure.’ He mentioned the father they had lost and had easily allowed themselves to express emotions in public, thanks to the toughness of the song. Another concert-goer admitted that they were ‘ugly crying’ during the song because it brought back memories of a lost loved one who would have been at the concert with them.
All these reflections from Jessie J bring her back to the core of her artistic mission. In her words, ‘I only ever started making music to connect and 20+ years later that still stands. Knowing this song has helped people already is the only success I will ever need.’ A fan expressed a similar thought when he wrote, ‘honestly FEEL this is the best song you have ever written,’ thus indicating that the power of the song may even eclipse that of her previous hits among the mourning fans.
It is evident that the subject matter is quite heavy yet the most frequent aspect voiced by the audience is their appreciation and healing is the main thing they derive from the song. ‘This song has healed something inside me, thanks,’ one listener commented. Another simply stated, ‘Thank you for portraying grief in such a unique way, we all feel acknowledged.’ The collective feedback creates a setting of an artist being a catalyst to a rare, shared, cleansing experience, the personal sorrow of the audience being transformed into a connected, though tearful, experience.
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Choosing to share this long-kept part of her heart with the public has evidently enabled Jessie J to strike a chord at a universal level with everyone’s feelings. By giving a voice to the difficult and lonely process of mourning, she made it possible for the listeners not to feel so isolated, thus once again proving the power of music. The singer recently showcased her resilience, celebrating 12 weeks post-mastectomy before a major performance. Her artistic journey continues to evolve, as seen in her new single announcement and blue hair transformation. She also shared a soulful “Price Tag” rendition with pianist Jeffery James and a heartfelt tribute to Jamal Edwards.
