Depression is a nasty beast. It can get the better of someone without them even realising it. It’s a hard thing to talk about, especially for young people. It effects more than you’d think, and not everybody has the confidence or the strength to step up and tackle things head on. Which makes us applaud the efforts of singer / songwriter Leo‘s I Remember.
One’s own mind can be a dangerous place. Folk singer Leo confronts issues of depression and body image with her new single I Remember.
The last time we heard from the Wollongong based folk singer Leo was tackling issues of domestic violence with her harrowing track Daniel. Inspired by true events from her home town, Leo has since made a very distinct impression with her songwriting. Though young Lucy Mills has only been releasing music under her Leo moniker since 2015, she is very quickly proving her worth and I Remember stands to define her stance as a songwriter.
Leo has shown a knack for taking difficult subject matter and, despite the harsh nature of things like domestic violence and depression, makes them accessible through her tender melodies. I Remember is both tragic and empowering in its role of looking back on the past but vowing to change the future so more young women won’t suffer through the same struggles alone. Speaking of the single, Mills says “It’s based on a time when a lot of women in my life were struggling with depression sparked by things like body image, identity and other internal battles.”
Joining Leo on the track is ARIA winning producer, session player and member of Syndicate Greg Agar sitting at the ivory keys. Leo has said this is the first piano ballad for her, and though not flawless it still works. Agar’s playing is delicate, keeping in mind the fragile state of the story’s narrative. The piano is the lone instrument on the track sans the vocals, and it promotes a loneliness that anyone who has lived with depression would know too well. It punctuates the pain felt by those people trapped by their own minds. His playing is matched quite well with Leo’s voice.
Her soft crooning offering the dual side to the story being the need to acknowledge the past in order to build a better future. She did so well on her previous track Daniel, and here she is no different. There are equal measures of pain and strength coming through from her performance. Though it may not strike you immediately, it is a vibrant one. There is no doubt that seeing her perform this in the flesh would increase the dramatic effect tenfold.
You can catch Leo live when she plays at Jane’s in Wollongong tomorrow Tuesday March 8, which is International Women’s Day. All proceeds from the night will go to SAHSSI (Supported Accommodation & Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra). You can find all the info at the event page here!
