LISTEN: Annie Mack, “Shadows of a Kingdom”

Artist: Annie Mack
Hometown: Rochester, Minnesota
Song: “Shadows of a Kingdom”
Album: Testify
Release Date: January 29, 2021

In Their Words: “Two years ago my daughter was fighting for her life, for her voice to be heard. No matter how much I loved her and wanted to go through it for her, this was her journey and beast to kill. And she did. I wrote this song for my daughter, but it’s really a love letter to all Black women, giving voice to the defining moments that we can use to step into our power and sovereignty.” — Annie Mack


Photo credit: Shelly Mosman 

LISTEN: Sarah Eide, “Big Mover”

Artist: Sarah Eide
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Song: “Big Mover”
Album: Dreams on Hold
Release Date: May 6, 2019

In Their Words: “As many songwriters can attest, there are days when you wake up with a sweet little melody swirling around in your head, and your mission then and there is to catch it before it wisps away. One such morning, my husband called me over to my daughter’s crib saying, ‘Look at our big mover.’ She was only a few months old at the time, but she had somehow made her way from one side of the crib to the other. In that moment, the morning melody and my husband’s words coalesced into the chorus of ‘Big Mover.’ I thought about how quickly life moves and the bittersweetness of seeing your child grow just as quickly through it. I could also see myself in her; my need to rush to get to the next big thing, to accomplish goals big and small, to be constantly in motion. I wrote this song as a way to tell her that I’m excited to see how her life will unfold, while reminding her to take in the beautiful but fleeting present.” — Sarah Eide


Photo credit: Helio Sun Photo