July (Staying In) by Roxhanne Norman
Commissioned by Dianne Saxe
Inspired by the confession…
Artist Statement
In early July, a massive thunderstorm hit Ontario. My power went out. In the stillness, without the hums of fridges, or fans, or lightbulbs, I sat in my bed and watched the rain. My cat was afraid of the noise. I couldn’t stop thinking about... how she would be hiding under the bed if I wasn’t home, but because I was there, she felt brave enough to stay with me and look out the window.
These song lyrics are a way to try and reclaim that bravery. It’s been almost seven years since I wrote a song, and longer since I recorded; this project gave me the gift of a reason, and the sort of simple honesty of the confessions, and the incredible artists involved, inspired me to move forward into places I’ve been afraid of for years. Thank you.
July (Staying In)
by Roxhanne Norman