Since the quarantine started, Sally Grayson has been writing songs for this time with a project called SONIC FEVER. For each song she is collaborating with a different set of musicians worldwide. The most recent song called, โThe Solidary Song,โ was intended to convey a message of PEACE. But as the release date approached (June 5th) she wondered, โhow can I release a song about peace when it is time to demand justice?โ So the release was postponed for a month to focus on listening and learning from voices of BIPOC and figuring out how to make those voices actionable in her work. Now she is ready to release this song with a reframed message. โSolidaryโ means: โexisting jointly and severally.โ As in: we are all in this together, seperate in our own homes. But this word also stems from the word โSolidarity.โ And solidarity is finally gaining traction with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Comments Sally:
โFirst of all I dedicate this song to BIPOC. I know you are tired. My prayer for peace upon you is not just for you to be able to breathe in a moment of peace, but also for lasting peace that comes through justice realized in real structural transformation that affects your everyday lives. I wish you peace in the moments when you need it most – when you wake in the night, when fear grips you, when you feel overwhelmed or unseen. I see you, I hear you, and your life matters and should be filled with the peace that you have been denied for too long. I hope you find moments of internal peace during this real fight for justice that will someday lead to a life lived in a world that gives that peace back to you.
I dedicate this song also to those fighting for equality. I know your hearts burn with a fire of righteous anger that has been stoked by recent events. My prayer is that as you find the strength to continue the fight for justice and equity and that you will also have the peace of knowing that this fight will have positive repercussions both now and in the future.”
Asked about the song, its meaning, as well as this new video, she explained:
When I wrote this song, I was thinking of people who are perhaps at their darkest place because of this virus. Maybe they have lost a loved one, are sick with the virus themselves, lost their job. I wrote it for anyone who has that whirlwind of worry swirling in their minds and hearts. But in the end, I realized that I also wrote it for me.
Many evenings when the kids were playing outside, Iโd take the opportunity to hop on the keyboard and experiment with chord progressions. There are moments when I write something and it just clicks in. Sometimes itโs just a phrase, a melody that feels right within me, so I take that piece and add around it.
๐ผ ๐ค๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐โ๐ก๐๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐คโ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ , ๐ผ ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ด๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐ผ ๐ค๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ธ๐ด๐ถ๐ธ.
The thing is, as I would work on the song often in the golden hour with the sun departing out my window, I couldnโt help but let some tears fall on the keys. My own heart was longing to hear the message that I wanted to get out into the world. Whether because of this pandemic or not, everyone out there is walking around holding their own secret sorrows, and I believe all of us in need of that extra dose of grace and peace right now.
I also reached out to my fans with this question, โIf there was one phrase you could have whispered in your ear during this crisis, what would it be?โ Some of the phrases ended up in the song. โThis too shall pass,โ โYou are enough.โ
For this song, I started with an invite to bassist Dominik Kraemer. We met when I was on The Voice of Germany. Heโs been playing in that amazing band and other German TV Shows. He then invited drummer Lukas Berg (Lokee, Roosevelt, Maxim, Raashan Ahmad) who then invited guitarist Philip Breidenbach(Charlotte Haesen, Stefanie Heinzmann, Maxim). I kept hearing strings on the song, so I reached out to Joy Stuhr (The Radiance, The Musical Ambassadors), a fellow American who I met in Berlin years ago, but who now is based out of Beijing, China.
When I started thinking about the music video, filmmaker Daniel Juan Martinz, from my home state, Michigan approached me to join up to direct and edit a music video.
๐ผ ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐ค ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ .
At one point in the process, I was in my living room, I had the camera on a tripod, then my phone on another tripod directed at the cameraโs viewfinder that was on a video call with Dan so that I could get in the frame and he could tell me where to stand how to change the camera settings so he could direct from afar (Oh yes, Digital we are!)
๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐, โ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก โ๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐.
So Dan created a beautiful collage of time lapsed blooming flowers and spinning starry skies. I projected the scenes of nature upon myself. I also joined up with Roman Wreden to help film other scenes in Stuttgart and surrounding areas.
We also wanted to capture the โwhispering in your earโ idea and in the end I projected a video of me singing to me. It all came full circle to sing the song to myself that I needed to hear.
๐ผ ๐ก๐๐ข๐๐ฆ โ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐คโ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐. ๐ผ โ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐กโ ๐๐ก ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐๐ข๐โ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐.
Sonic Fever project
“Of course, all of us can give and help by staying at home to flatten the curve, but as I asked myself, โwhat else I can I do?,โ the first thing that always comes up in me is the desire to use my gifts to help make this world a better placeโ, says Sally Grayson. And she had an idea: “So I decided to start writing songs that I hope will help a little to get us through this pandemic and bring hope in these times.โ
โI also sensed a great need to connect with people (be it digitally) more than ever because of all of the social distancing and isolation. So for each song I write, Iโm incorporating different musicians Iโve never worked with before who also donโt know each other. In each song, I want at least one of the musicians to invite someone who I do not know as a positive metaphor for spreading a virus. This is also a means to grow connections within the artist community and to help keep us busy, especially musicians like myself who are usually playing live.โ
For 2020 all digital sales will be donated to the organization, โTo Write Love on Her Arms.โ
Their Vision statement says:
To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.
Grayson says,
โIn this time of such unprecedented social separation, where so many are struggling with fear and isolation, It thrills me to be able to collaborate and connect with other musicians and also to support TWLOHA who are there for people who are perhaps at their darkest places mentally. During this time, what I hope to communicate with this project is: You are not alone. Hold the Connection!โ
More about Sally Grayson:
“๐ถโ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐”
Anyone who has heard or seen the front woman of the Stuttgart Americana Desert Rock band “Black Swift” knows that she is serious.
Sally Grayson’s voice, which is reminiscent of good old blues with passion and clarity, and her profound lyrics are the heart and trademark of the combo. Now the American living in the Ludwigsburg area and known already for her performances on The Voice of Germany and her TEDx Talk, is on her solo path – with her own versions of Black Swift songs and a completely new repertoire.
The artist does not let go of her post-punk genre roots, but also ventures into new realms: Heartfelt Dark Folk or No Depression Melancholia it could be called – songs that are carried by guitar and Grayson’s unique voice, sometimes veering towards PJ Harvey, reminding one of Patti Smith, with a touch of Nick Caveโs melancholy in the package. But for Sally Grayson, melancholy in no way means staying in the past: Her first solo album is currently being created on the New Music Industry / Crowdfunding platform Patreon.
Every month she is publishing a new song on it and she is inviting her fans to be on the inside of the process of creating an album. As a collective they are invited to help with decisions such as which songs get chosen to eventually be on the finished album. And of course to help answer the question- โCan music help change the world?โ
The Solidary Song lyrics:
In the midst of all the chaos,
In the midst of all the grief,
I wish you peace, peace, peace
I see the tears that have fallen
Upon your fearful face
And I wish you peace, peace, peace.
Oh, Peace upon you, Peace I wish you
Peace to your core, let peace in you be restored
Peace upon you, peace I wish you
Let peace in you be restored
As the darkness of your mind, awakes you in the night,
I wish you rest, and sleep and peace
Moonlightโs dark shadows
Creep upon your sleepless face
And I wish you rest, and calm and peace
Oh, Peace upon you, Peace I wish you
Peace to your core, let peace in you be restored
Peace upon you, peace I wish you
Let peace in you restore
Oh take it on day, take it one hour, take it one minute at a time
Take it one breath at a time.
Oh, Peace upon you, Peace I wish you
Peace to your core, let peace in you be restored
Peace upon you, peace I wish you
Let peace in you be restored
Like a sweet breeze cooling off your panicked thoughts
Like a warm comforter, covering your isolated mind
Hush! You are enough. You are enough right now
This is not forever.
This is not your forever
This too shall pass
Peace
I wish you peace
Peace
“Digital We Are”
๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ถ ๐น๐ธ๐๐ธ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐๐กโ๐๐ข๐โ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ ๐โ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐, ๐ค๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ก, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ โ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐โ ๐๐ข๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐.
The song is called โDigital We Areโ and features Mikey Elfers (Thirst Things First, The Killigans) from Lincoln, Nebraska on drums, Tommy Rehbein (Robsapien, Justin Courtney Pierre, Farewell Continental) from Minneapolis, Minnesota on guitar and Travis Collins (A.M.Stryker, We Are the Willows and Deleter) on bass also from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Live shows amidst pandemic
I’ve had the opportunity to still playtime shows in the area. Twice in the past months I’ve played at great venue in Stuttgart called “Wagenhallen“. They completely transformed their large venue into a TV production where they had a lights, camera and tech team. The rule was that only 5 people could be in the venue at one time, so the crews were set up outside in separate vans. They also set up a large projection opposite the stage where they projected scenes of large audiences. After each song, they would play a clap track, so at least it felt a little bit like a live show. This was live-streamed and after the show, they had a TV studio set up where I was interviewed. Although, I really miss playing live shows, that was certainly the next best thing.
Other artists worth a check:
My friends from XIXA released a beautiful live album that they recorded during a livestream during this pandemic:
Kat Jones is also releasing a live album coming up soon, here’s the single that’s already been released:
