I am very happy to have been given the opportunity to create lyrics for a song to participate in the SOW Creative Singing Contest. It has been a great learning experience for me, and I take pleasure in having an outlet to express my feelings and a platform to share what I have learnt from my life experiences with my peers.

I wrote the lyrics with my deceased father in mind. He helped me countless times, be it schoolwork, emotional problems, or just driving me to school every morning. Not only did he help me, he was also a teacher to a multitude of students during his life. Not only did he inspire me, he also inspired countless others. Therefore, it only felt right to write something for and about him.

My song, “Flight of the Crane”, speaks mostly about letting go of past burdens and opening up to others. For long, I have concealed this private story of my life from my friends in school. In writing this song, I had an opportunity to do what the song advocates –  Let go and do not fear opening up to others, for they will understand. I’m grateful to have supportive people like my mother, brother, teachers and friends to walk along with me in this journey of self-discovery.

Writing this song entails some difficulties. Though I had the topic I wanted to write about in mind, creating meaningful lyrics from scratch was not an easy task. I spent a lot of time thinking about how to convey my message effectively in writing. I achieved this with imagery and symbolism, using pages of a journal flying in the wind like cranes in the sky to visualise and represent the idea of letting go.

What I would like to say to my peers through the song is that there is always someone out there who cares about you. Don’t let the past drag you down. Instead, look for support. Find a trustworthy family member or friend to speak to – Let it out and your heart will become light and enlightened. When you share your feelings, it is a learning opportunity and bonding moment for you and the listener.