"So this empty chair that I was singing to is meant to represent a close loved one who couldn't be there for any host of personal reasons. But for me, it was a way to have a conversation that I wasn't quite ready to have in real life and kind of get started figuring out what I wanted to say and how I feel."
"And as you indicated, you're not kind of ready to talk yet or reconcile but want to. What does writing do to that process? STEINER: I think, for me, writing is a way to sort of clarify who I am. It gives me the confidence to know what I want to say and express myself. And specifically, for whatever reason, songwriting has been that outlet for me."
Julia Steiner sings about estrangement with her band Ratboys on the album 'Singin' To An Empty Chair.' The empty chair symbolizes a close loved one who could not be present for personal reasons. Steiner used an empty-chair exercise from her therapist to begin a conversation she was not ready to have in person. The method helped her organize memories and perspectives on a complicated relationship. The album's climax is the song 'Just Want You To Know The Truth.' Writing provides Steiner with clarity about identity, confidence to express herself, and a songwriting outlet to process emotions.
Read at www.npr.org
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]