Laura Dannan – Rise

Lately, I missed honesty in the industry. Real emotions often are a rare thing in today’s releases. And I get why that is. It’s not an easy thing to offer this side as an artist, you have to be brave and confident enough to just get it out there, in hopes that it may find an understanding audience. Other like-minded folks who feel what you feel, who get the message, and who connect with what you are transmitting. This is hard, especially during these times when you don’t know who you even can trust with the simplest of things anymore. I am so grateful when artists still dare to show their true selves to the audience, and that’s exactly what Laura Dannan did with her new track “Rise”.

For me, this track reveals a special part of the vulnerable side of the British singer/songwriter. Listening closely, you can sense something I would call a “heavy sadness”, but that’s not all there is. The sound forms a unique alliance of sadness and confidence in strength. It’s like listening to someone who lifted heavy weights throughout life, so many times that this person got used to doing so. Still, it is a heavy task, but one that is carried with dignity and pride in the own strength.

We all carry burdens in life. We all know what it’s like to face a task that won’t be easy on an emotional level. We all want to surrender at times, to run away from sadness, from pain, and overwhelming situations. We all realize our role in this grand scheme called life eventually, and many (sadly not all) of us accept our fate eventually. We try to be the best version of ourselves on any new day, no matter how hard it is. For me, this track triggers exactly this feeling in me. It manages to point out the vulnerable nature of this feeling using a defensive minimal guitar and flute setting, but mainly through the defensive vocals making the listener connect with this familiar vibe instantly.

I said it before, I need to feel the music to like it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be emotional, but a track has to mean something to the artist before it can mean something to me, or any other listener. And I feel this tune very intensely. Laura Dannan couldn’t hide her heart and soul in this track even if she tried to cloak it. “Rise” carries its scars for everyone to see and hear, and I strongly believe that with this song, we listeners are granted a reflection of a fraction of the singer’s soul.