Heartbreaking loss is something that can only truly be understood once experienced, and in a way, we should ever be so lucky to love and be loved so much by someone else that their departure from this world would mean that a piece of us has died with them. I know this sounds terrible and even morbid or disheartening, but the truth is told, it is a blessing to experience such a strong bond, and I am speaking from experience.
For NYC-based artist Olive Louise, the heart-rending came with the loss of her mother, a trial no one is ever truly ready for but that nonetheless, many of us will have to go through at some point in our lives.
Today we’re taking a look at Olive’s latest track, titled “Moroccan Oranges,” a song that deals with all of the sorrow and the reality that came when her family had to stick together through her mother’s passing. The folk/pop anthem is in some regards, a heartfelt goodbye to a part of Olive herself, but also an examination of what it means to share a bond of pain with your loved ones as you all try to process tragedy.
Olive confides, “The song is about the summer I travelled to Morocco and Paris with my dad and sister after my mom passed away. It’s about the dissonance I felt looking at my dad trying to hold it together and make us feel okay, knowing that even though we were seeing stunning views, and trying new foods, and were there together, we felt completely shattered.”
The song is as bittersweet as they come, a walkthrough of what should be a sweet, idyllic time tainted by loss, longing, and memories aplenty. The first thing that jumps out at you is the mellow vocals coming off as stalwart against the tears as they can, not as if choke down a cry, but as a reminder that even from within suffering, you can be surrounded by beauty and it is all worth cherishing just as much as the outpouring of mixed emotions and good times that will come to mind during the grieving process.
The song feels effortless only because of how fresh and organic Olive is as a musician. As a songwriter, however, what does become immediately apparent are the deep scars of absence in every word, inviting you to connect with the very real and very personal loss that she describes she and her family lived through during their time in Morocco.
This amazing song belongs to Olive Louise’s debut EP, 275 Kings Point Road, and is a cathartic and enthralling exploration of the stages of grief. The EP is titled after the house where Louise grew up, the actual Main House of The Great Gatsby estate. Louise lost both of her parents at a young age, and her music offers an honest and raw perspective on the grieving process.
Photos by @lshkbr
