Ideas and people inspire me, and words and books inspire me. Music, though has always had a special power for me, it can move me, inspire me, shake me up, and even bring me to tears.
My current earworm comes from the debut album over five years ago from a brilliant talent that shines brighter and brighter from his South London roots as each year goes by, Stormzy. Yes, I know that album well, but this song somehow came to me once again while travelling back from seeing family in Scotland over the holiday season. As I landed at the airport in London, I simply kept repeating it over and over again all the way home.
I highly recommend watching the recent Louis Theroux interview with Stormzy (see here, and if geo-blocked, I do recommend finding a way to watch it). Within this interview is a powerful segment where he goes with his mother and sisters to a gospel service, speaking to his strong Christian belief. This young man is a brilliant musical talent but also someone who seems to be growing into himself as each year goes by. I am sure his mother is very proud of him.
Having listened to the album version over and over, today I share with you this live version from his now legendary Glastonbury main stage set in 2019.
Stormzy is so, so moved by the moment that, I sense, he literally can’t speak (much less sing) for the second half of the song, so simply holds the mic away and mouths the words alongside the choir and the crowd. See that moment at around 1:51 in the song. Tears welled up for me in seeing his face as he recognised the enormity of that moment.
May the music that moves you reach you in 2023.