In today's social media age, it's easier than ever to reach out and connect with people who share similar interests and experiences. Just over a year ago, Facebook premiered an American drama series based off of the story of a woman who lost her husband and this sparked a conversation for others who had lost a spouse or loved one to talk about their experiences in dealing with grief.
Julia Michaels, who Linkin Park fans may be familiar with for her songwriting contributions to Heavy and her performance at the 2017 Hollywood Bowl tribute, released an original song based off of the conversations that arose because of the show. The video that accompanies the song opens with a variety of women telling the audience about their spouse in a heartbreaking montage before acoustic guitar opens the track for Michaels' vocals accompanied by sonorous piano.
In a behind the scenes video Michaels posted, she said, "I feel like a lot of people feel like if they talk to people, that they're burdening people with their problems. That's not always the case. When I read all the comments on Sorry For Your Loss, about everybody sort of just being there for each other, I sort of wanted to write it from that angle. I think that's one of the best parts about my job, even though it can be pretty overwhelming, I can channel someone's feelings and put them into a song." She continues, "I knew that I didn't really want the song to be that melancholy, I wanted it to be more uplifting. Even when somebody is not with you, you can still feel them with you. You're never as lonely as you think you are. My biggest take away is for people to know that they're not alone."
Watch the video below.
Of course, Michaels has spoken out about her own experience in losing a friend in Chester, and much of this reflects the feelings that are shown in the new track. In an interview with MTV, Michaels said, "It's crazy. It still hasn't hit me yet. You know, it's interesting. When you're a songwriter, you start to see everything in a generalised sense. Heavy was Chester's concept. He was like, 'I have this idea, you know, sometimes things are just really heavy and I just can't get myself out of it' and being a songwriter, sometimes you compartmentalise emotions and you're like, 'Oh, yeah, I get that. That's relatable, everyone feels heavy and weighed down by their problems sometimes.'" She continues, "Sometimes you don't really take into account what someone is telling you because it's masked with love and humour and laughter and warmth. That's something that really gets me sometimes, when I listen to it, like really listening to the lyrics. It's weird to just think about it and know that he's gone now."
With this new release, it seems as though Michaels is trying to further the conversation for people struggling in the aftermath of losing a loved one in a universal way. The message in the song certainly has positive undertones and directly addresses the people affected by the passing of someone close to them. “I wanted the chorus to be ‘If you need me, I’m there’… even if I can’t physically be there, I’m still there. That can be about the person that isn’t visibly here anymore, and it can be about the community they have built within Sorry for Your Loss.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised, help and resources can be found at Buddy Project.org.
