Have you ever heard the song “Music was my First Love“ by John Miles? That is a very true fact for me. Before poetry, way before a poetry actually, I fell in love with music. I began to sing in choir at the age of eight, and genuinely relished it. It would offer me such a sense of solace and the perfect fortified attitude change with specific tracks on my homegrown mixtape. The first concert I attended was on August 17, 1990 at the CNE bandstand, the artist was Sinead O’Connor. Everything from that night is seared in my mind; summer heat, crowds, and dialogue about high-school tragedies and love stories that end with a seriously intense bitter demise. Sinead’s performance was magical, a genuine powerhouse. Sinead had this capacity to sing the most delicate of notes with such a powerhouse presence. I ALWAYS appreciated her passion over-pour.

Wednesday, after the most perfect nap, I open my Facebook and started scrolling; my heart fell at a post from Marcella Detroit sharing the death of Sinead O’Connor. It really is remarkable how someone I’ve never met in my entire life had this intense weight to move me emotionally. Sinead O’Connor is on all my writing playlist. I know that she was best known for the cover of Prince’s original version of Nothing Compares 2U. My favourite tracks include: Troy, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Last Day of our Acquaintance, and especially Feel so Different; these are my staple songs.

This has taken me a few days to write because I was truly in such a heightened stage of shock that my words did not seem good enough. The impact this Songstress has had on my life is something that I am genuinely grateful for. A Joan of Ark in our contemporary age who was fearless and spoke against injustice. R.I.P. I hope your soul is at peace.