Justice
Anaïs T.
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The song that I wrote is called Justice because it evokes the themes of fighting for equality, discrimination and hate crimes, but also of belonging and expanding our view of the world regarding other people. I wrote this song during the pandemic in 2020 when the BLM movement was extremely active and on everyone's minds because of the injustices and horrors that certain people had faced. I saw so many people speaking up, sharing stories and supporting those who had been wronged, that I felt inspired to write down my thoughts about the sense of community and support that was being created through these awful events. I wanted to capture the essence of this battle for justice and the camaraderie the was formed because even though people weren't affiliated with those who were suffering from these injustices, they chose to speak up and share the story to spread awareness. I thought it was a beautiful connection that was formed between people, although unfortunately, it was rooted in mostly unfair and horrific events.
I also wanted to highlight these shocking and inhumane situations that had occurred because they didn't deserve to be forgotten after people's initial reaction to them was over. Additionally, history has a tendency to repeat itself so these people would only be a few names in a long list that could follow unless concrete action was taken to stop/slow down the process of racism and discrimination. I thought a song could be a way to inspire people to continue supporting others in need and fighting for justice for oneself and those around us. Plus, it would be another reminder of the names of the people and the events that were affected by discrimination and racism so they wouldn’t be forgotten, nor just a few more names in a history book. I wanted people to listen to this song and feel a connection with the people around them, but I also wanted them to feel empowered.
I have also struggled to find my voice and speak up for myself and I want others, as well as myself to feel like people will support them but also that there is room for them in the world and that their voice matters. That what they have to say is important. My easiest method to cope with my thoughts and emotions is to right them down in song form and this is my form of expression, this is how I want people to hear what I have to say.
My artistic process was rather simple because I wrote my song down all in one sitting, finding a fitting melody while I was inspired and thinking about what was going on around me. However, the part that was more difficult was revisiting the song a while after I had originally written it to modify certain elements and to add two new verses to update it a bit. This was challenging simply because I was no longer in the ""thick of the subject"" so it was harder to find inspiration. Plus, I don't have the most solid bases in music so I was scared the ""singing in tune"" or ""in an attention grabbing way"" would not wok. I also had a lot of difficulties singing the song fully while recording it because I was nervous. I typically don't share my songs because they are personal and I'm worried that what I have created will not be good enough for others; that they don't feel the connection that I do to the subject through the music, nor the passion with which I create these songs. My songwriting is a very intimate endeavor and I'm embarrassed to show it to others for fear of it being bad (i.e. not well sung, having too basic lyrics, having a boring tune...).
Nevertheless, I'm happy and excited to put my work out into the world to be judged to see if it's any good and even if it isn't then I'll be happy to have shared my thoughts on this topic through my music. My artistic process took little time, but I still faced challenges towards the end. And my song is about self-expression, standing up for what you believe in and for others, as well as fighting against discrimination and racism to obtain a more accepting and universal view of the world. I hope you like it.
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Exploring my creativity impacts my life because it brings up my mood and I feel joyful when I'm creating something that I think others could relate to or appreciate. It also helps me cope with situations that affect my life, whether negatively or positively, it always helps to lessen those burdens.
