LA via Boston soulful/R&B singer-songwriter Becca Hannah shares raw, lush track “Empathy“, as she finds her own strength turning her focus towards empowerment and self-love. On January 23, the artist will share her soft, glossy debut album Tonight In My Dreams.
On the swirling, vulnerable track, “Empathy”, Hannah shares, “I’ve had this habit of internalizing other people’s opinions, values, and experiences so deeply that I’ve lost a sense of where I’ve stood as an individual. I’ve given people and their judgements the benefit of the doubt in ways that have led me down a dangerous path of self-doubt and further insecurity.”
On how the song came together, Hannah explains, “One hot, sticky, summer afternoon, I found myself in an anxious, cloudy, spiral, picked up my guitar, and started aimlessly strumming. The words “I should be meditating, I know, I do it sometimes…” just popped into my head, and stuck. But I still couldn’t finish the song in one sitting. I wasn’t entirely sure how to articulate what I wanted to say, but I knew I was headed in the right direction energetically. A couple of weeks later, I met up with [collaborator] Tristan [Jantz] to co-write the rest of the song together. He helped me piece the puzzle of the song seed together, and we turned the concept into something quite empowering.”
With “Empathy” the artist reclaims her agency. “Yeah, empathy could destroy me and my wellbeing, but I won’t let it. I am reclaiming my power, identity, individuality, and honoring the evolution of my human experience.” There’s a hidden darkness and rawness to the track that can be found with proper attention. The final line, “Empathy, could it be the death of me” builds with the support of the band, and features a commanding horn arrangement from George Pereli.
The accompanying visual puts the studio recording process on full display. Intimate and vibrant, the video sees the full band come together over Hannah’s sultry vocal. Hannah says while recording the live video, “I was able to tune into this consistent challenge of mine, surrender to it, and infuse it with unconditional love. In doing so, I was able to process, release, and integrate the messages and melodies of the song. I am so grateful this experience was captured.”
