Sarah McLachlan’s gentle voice brings to mind her soft, sad ballads like “Angel” and “When She Loved Me.” Now, she is looking to her own life for inspiration, like many of us do. Her latest song “Gravity” is inspired by a past conflict with her daughter, India Ann, showing how you can turn heartbreak into art.
Sarah McLachlan on “Gravity”
In an interview with Variety, McLachlan opened up about her new album, Beter Broken, and the story behind the new single “Gravity.” She stated that the thinks the new single is the “one of the strongest tracks” on the album. She went on to say, “It’s highly emotional, and because I’ve had the opportunity to play it to other people for a year or two, the connection that people have had to it has been pretty immediate and intense,” adding that she also chose it as one of the first singles for the album because it feels like “the more traditional balladeering that I’m kind of known for.”
Sarah McLachlan on the Story Behind “Gravity”
In an earlier press release, McLachlan discussed how the song was inspired by her relationship with her daughter, India Ann. She said,
“For a long time my daughter and I had a very combative and fraught relationship, and what I came to realize is that so much of what I perceived as obstinance or rage was actually masking a ton of anxiety on her part. We went to counseling together, and I learned that she felt so alone and unvalidated by me—which was devastating to hear, but it led us both to change the way we communicate with each other. I wrote ‘Gravity’ as a way of saying to her, ‘I’ve always loved you and want the best for you, and you’re perfect the way you are.’”
The music video shows Sarah McLachlan standing in a waist-deep lake, shrouded in mist, like a nymph or an elf from a fantasy story. The visual perfectly complements the longing, mournful feel of the song. Her lyrics “I’m not the enemy / I’ll carry you through your pain” capture the heartache of a mother desperately trying to reach out to a suffering child who has closed herself off from the world.
When Does the Better Broken Album Come Out?
The Better Broken album is due out on September 19th. If “Gravity” is any indicator of the album’s quality, it should be something very special. Whether you’ve been a longtime fan of Sarah McLachlan or are just now discovering her music, Better Broken should be a wonderful experience.
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