Bess Atwell Shares Heartfelt New Single ‘The Weeping’
British singer and songwriter Bess Atwell has just shared her brand new single The Weeping, a heartfelt acoustic/folk song out now via Lucy Rose’s Communion imprint Real Kind Records.
Produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, The Weeping is a personal recollection of how it was for Bess to grow up with her non-verbal autistic sister and how it explores the parallels between them and Bess's recent diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorder. What I like the most about this song is its warmth and how Bess Atwell's rich, expressive vocals exude so much raw emotion and soul, instantly making us feel each and every single word she is singing. I am loving the song's melancholic, reflective atmosphere which is enhanced by the warm, comforting production that pairs steady drum patters with lush acoustic guitar riffs and emotive piano chords. Definitely one of those songs perfect to listen to during a cold, rainy day home alone with one's thoughts. Check it out below!
Speaking about the song, Bess Atwell said,
I knew The Weeping was in me, I just wasn’t sure when it would decide to come out. I only knew I was writing it when I got to the second verse and realised I finally had a vantage point. My younger sister is autistic, the kind of non-verbal autism that requires 24/7 care, and this track is mostly about what it was like to grow up with her. The Weeping explores the parallels between me and my sister which is more interesting when you consider that I wrote it before I found out that I’m also autistic, this year - albeit, in a far less debilitating, disabling way.When we were children, my sister had a toy fish tank that would light up and play music when you hit the button. I used to fall asleep next door to the sound of her replaying the toy’s melancholic piano lullaby. At just seven years old I had some understanding of the loneliness and confusion that came with being unable to communicate effectively, and stuck in your own strange world. I felt, viscerally, the attempts to self soothe with every hit of the button as the song began to play again.