It seems that every time you turn on the news we’re inundated with images of misery and suffering from people living in and trying to escape from horrendous wars. But unfortunately these distressing images seem to pale in comparison to the misery of the political dialogue accompanying the images.
I remember that one day I was really struck by the look of sheer terror on a mother’s face as she and her children were fleeing a war zone and it hit me that the human side of this terrible crisis is getting lost in all the political debate.
So I decided to simply put the politics aside for a moment and think about what that mother and her children must be going through - and I sat down and wrote Back Home.
I wanted to return some humanity to the conversation surrounding the refugee crisis and remind everyone that ultimately these are just scared and terrified people looking for safety. Written from the perspective of that mother, I was particularly moved by the idea that in the midst of all the fear and anxiety that she must be feeling in that moment, deep down she must also have some hope of finding a new home that will allow her children to live their lives in happiness.
So I wanted the lyrics to convey that trepidation and fear she would be feeling but I also wanted the chorus to have an upbeat and optimistic feel to it. I wanted to contrast those competing emotions of fear versus hope - fear of the moment versus hope for a better future and the idea of happiness at finally arriving ‘Back Home’.
I am absolutely honoured to have teamed up with refugee employment charity Breaking Barriers to release ‘Back Home’. They provide life changing support to refugees by helping them find stable and fulfilling employment.
There are currently 65.6 million people worldwide who fled or been forcibly removed from their home. Violence, conflict, religious differences, or political unrest are just a few of the reason as to why so many people are leaving their homes in search of somewhere peaceful and safe to live.
Check out the brand new lyric video for ‘Back Home’ below, and head to https://breaking-barriers.co.uk/ to find out more about the life enriching work that Breaking Barriers do.