Greek lyrical poet Sappho once said, “What cannot be said will be wept”–a stirring quote about the nature of loss and grief. Grief is a strange animal, appearing in waves, manifesting at the most inopportune times, often without explanation of its trigger. The only cure for grief is to grieve; singer/songwriter Lindsay White, who lost her mother five months ago to brain cancer, is expressing hers through her gorgeous new album, Lights Out.
“Grief is the dominant theme of this record,” she explains. “The title track is about the tough relationship I had with my mom after I came out. The broader message speaks to how short life is and reminds us to find perspective and show compassion during trying times or challenging relationships.” Today, White unveils the boxing-themed video for the album’s title track. “Boxing has played a huge role in my self-care while my mom was sick,” she continues. “I was lucky enough to find Title Boxing Club when my mom was sick and I was really struggling mentally and emotionally. Her religious convictions and my homosexuality created a wall between us, then brain cancer came along and made that wall impossible to climb. Getting involved in boxing helped pull me out of the depression that came with having to swallow that pill,” she adds. “Joining the gym, recording the album, and grappling with my mom’s sickness sort of melted into each other, and the result was an entire record about fighting grief and insecurity.”
White’s poignant memories of her mother wrapped in this clever lyrical metaphor may not be the typical choice for an album single, but it brilliantly honors her mother’s memory as well as the album’s message. “Life is so short and the loss of loved ones is so impactful. I strongly believe if we talked about that more often as a society, we might live more purposefully and with more compassion,” White explains. “The video not only highlights the profound and sudden sadness of losing a loved one, but also embraces the hope and healing that comes with finding a community that supports you in those hard moments. A large part of that community for me was my ‘Title Fam.’ We shot the video at my gym, it was directed and edited by one of the staff members, and it features my actual trainers. I hope the song resonates with people who are reeling from loss,” she continues. “To them I say you are not alone and you are always more resilient than you think.”
Without further ado, Mother Church Pew proudly presents “Lights Out,” the new video from Lindsay White:
Perfect Lindsay. Beautiful.