“If I don’t feel my feelings, things are going to go very wrong”
Anson Seabra has a unique way of wielding language. His lyrics beckon his listeners to embrace their feelings and see the images he paints when he sings. Anson Seabra's earlier releases from 2018, up until his tracks in his most recent EP called Feeling For My Life, describe encouragement, defeat, heartbreak and pain in such a way that you vividly see them in your mind. Coupling that with his sweet, mellow voice and equally emotive piano-led instrumentals, Anson creates music that invites us to get lost in the often scary whirlwind of our emotions.
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“‘Cause when you said, ‘Jump,' I asked, ‘How high?'/ But when I jumped, you said, ‘Goodbye,'” croons Anson Seabra in Walked Through Hell. The song—which was also featured on Grey’s Anatomy— is the leading track from Feeling For My Life, and describes the shattering feeling of bending over backward for someone who doesn't do the same for you. This is just one of the many emotions the EP reflects—emotions that Anson himself went through. “I’m a very sensitive person. I have a lot of feelings,” he shares in an exclusive press junket with Southeast Asian Media. “I feel like if I don’t feel my feelings, things are going to go very wrong.”
It’s refreshing to see a singer be this candid and vulnerable straight up, but perhaps that’s what makes his music stand out. Each lyric holds enough feeling to cut through you, and when performed with somber piano chords, it settles heavily into your heart. However, as far as personal experiences are concerned, specific life events don’t exactly inspire Anson’s lyrics.
Rather, the circumstances of his life influence the verses he writes, and in turn, these songs give a universal perspective. For example, We’re Not in Kansas Anymore echoes the empty reality of homesickness and snapping out of a past long gone, reflective of his move from Kansas to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Magazine tells the darker story behind the glitz and glamour of living out the life you’ve dreamed of, but that “happily ever after” is just a myth. Lastly, Keep Your Head Up Princess serves as an anthem of encouragement, offering a glimmer of hope amid a dark and turbulent era like the present.
Anson sees the value in discussing mental health, not only through his songs but through his platform. For example, his music video for Keep Your Head Up Princess shows the unspoken stories of women who continuously try to heal and reach their dreams. But in a more personal effort to connect with people who go through issues unseen, Anson runs a separate Instagram account called @advicewithanson. Here, he shares his thoughts on mental health to show others that they’re not alone in their struggle.
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“[Music] is possibly the most powerful therapy in the world, in my humble opinion. The power of the song to singularly crack you open like an egg and just make you emote is so potent like nothing else can possibly do,” he shares. It’s safe to say that Anson does an excellent job of offering catharsis to those who seek it. So many of his fans find solace through his music, helping them pull through despite challenging times. Here, he teaches us not to fear the sensation of letting our emotions wash over us. Instead, he sets an example for the world to embrace it all with open arms so that we can get it off our chests and let it go.
Stream Feeling For My Life on Spotify. This Holiday season, Anson also offers consolation through his Christmas EP, a heartfelt holiday.
Art Matthew Ian Fetalver
