Reflection

Reflection

When my teacher proposed this contest in my class, I knew it was the perfect place to inform people about our planet’s current situation. As a native of Miami, Florida, I have seen our beaches change, I’ve seen areas around my house flood when there’s minor rainfall, and I’ve seen my community as a whole affected by hurricanes. The topic led me to do some research. This song is meant to portray a post-flood situation about a town that was severely affected by a storm that was affected by the situation more than it should have been due to rising sea levels. The chorus introduces a “pop-y" beat with a strong bass drum. The message of the chorus is a plea for help from a girl whose town is "dying". There was a line in the second verse about young children never getting to breathe fresh air. This is a small nod to the carbon emission crisis contributing to global warming and climate change as well. Once the song gets into the bridge, I wanted to portray a cry for help sound by using breath-y harmonies. The entrance of the melodic chorus stands for hopelessness. When the chorus comes back in at full strength it’s meant to portray anger and powerlessness. There is an “alien string-strum” sound in the background to amplify the disorientation. The song concludes on a calmer note, signifying the end of an era. I have learned so much about our precious planet and how to protect it by researching this project and how our decisions affect its wellbeing. Please enjoy this song I composed and performed called “Rising.”