I’m grateful you’re here, Hayley. I appreciate you seeing me and connecting with my words. You and Joy are beacons in this world and in a music industry that has lost its way. It’s a gift I get to keep living with your art and learning from you. Thank you.
I enjoyed reading this and seeing how you connect your life experiences to music. I love true believer and I will have to check out Joy's song. Your comments about loving and hating your hometown made me think about how during the elections people often blame people in red states and are quick to critique it but people don't think about how so much activism and grass-roots efforts happen in the south. Like sometimes people fall under the fallacy of believing all people in an area are alike and all hope is lost, but people who live there know the good that exists there too 💛
This is beautifully written. It’s true. Even for all the hurt we may experience in a place, we’ve also seen its beauty in the people and the nature and the memories we’ve made that sometimes get clouded by all the bad. We’ve seen how people care for each other when things go to shit. At the end of the day, in all the places, I want everyone to have what they need.
If you’ve never read Hanif Abdurraqib’s “There’s Always This Year,” I think you’d love it. Thank you for sharing how my words connected with you!
This is exactly how I feel about Baltimore! Like when Trump called Baltimore a "Hellhole" like sir! you haven't even experienced the beauty and unique culture that this city has. The only relation that non-natives of major urban cities have is through the news, where crime is publicized more than our achievements. Great piece!
Ayy I grew up in Columbia before I moved to Charlotte! Spent a lot of time with my grandma at her house in Baltimore. I appreciate you naming this. Thanks so much for reading!
Beautiful. I finally had time to read this. That sentiment that you don't get to hate something unless you love it, is profound and something I'll be thinking of today.
Thank you for reading and making the time, Deirdre. That line has stuck with me since my first time watching the movie and affirmed so much of how I try to approach my writing. Glad it connected with you, too.
There’s another lyric in Hayley’s last album that I think relates to this. Although the song itself, Disappearing Man, has a completely different context, I think this stand line really applies here too: “My final act of love was surrender.”
Whew thank you for reading and sharing how these words connected with you. Wherever you are now, whatever you’re doing, I hope there’s more good than bad. Sending love 🫂
i’m from nashville, moved away a year ago, so i really resonated with alot of this. i LOVE both of these songs and i would’ve probably never made this connection but it’s so perfect. so glad hayley shared this because i really enjoyed it ❤️
Thanks, Grace! I appreciate you making time, and I’m so jealous you get to listen to Joy for the first time. Her music has been a guiding light for me over the past few years!
AAYEEE Charlotte love! I love this post. I always feel a slight tinge of responsibility in defending Charlotte since people say it has no culture. But being born here really showed me otherwise. Sometimes I have trouble holding the two truths that I can love it down but still want to leave and learn to love other places.
Yoo glad you’re here!! Great to meet another Charlotte native. Thank you so much for reading and helping me see I’m not alone. Holding the love and disappointment is not easy, but damn if it’s not the mark of a beautiful life 🥲
Powerful. This really resonated with me, as a native Southerner who’s now spent half her life in California and truly thinks of it as home. Not everyone gets it or can put it into words like you just did.
One of the many beauties of art. Getting to see ourselves in the artists’ creations. Thank you for seeing me and sharing what all of this meant to you. I appreciate you 🙏🏽
Thank you for writing this, and for talking about me and Joy’s songs like this. “I’d Miss The Birds” makes me cry.
I loved every word you wrote. Resonated to my core.
I’m grateful you’re here, Hayley. I appreciate you seeing me and connecting with my words. You and Joy are beacons in this world and in a music industry that has lost its way. It’s a gift I get to keep living with your art and learning from you. Thank you.
I enjoyed reading this and seeing how you connect your life experiences to music. I love true believer and I will have to check out Joy's song. Your comments about loving and hating your hometown made me think about how during the elections people often blame people in red states and are quick to critique it but people don't think about how so much activism and grass-roots efforts happen in the south. Like sometimes people fall under the fallacy of believing all people in an area are alike and all hope is lost, but people who live there know the good that exists there too 💛
This is beautifully written. It’s true. Even for all the hurt we may experience in a place, we’ve also seen its beauty in the people and the nature and the memories we’ve made that sometimes get clouded by all the bad. We’ve seen how people care for each other when things go to shit. At the end of the day, in all the places, I want everyone to have what they need.
If you’ve never read Hanif Abdurraqib’s “There’s Always This Year,” I think you’d love it. Thank you for sharing how my words connected with you!
This is exactly how I feel about Baltimore! Like when Trump called Baltimore a "Hellhole" like sir! you haven't even experienced the beauty and unique culture that this city has. The only relation that non-natives of major urban cities have is through the news, where crime is publicized more than our achievements. Great piece!
Ayy I grew up in Columbia before I moved to Charlotte! Spent a lot of time with my grandma at her house in Baltimore. I appreciate you naming this. Thanks so much for reading!
Beautiful. I finally had time to read this. That sentiment that you don't get to hate something unless you love it, is profound and something I'll be thinking of today.
Thank you for reading and making the time, Deirdre. That line has stuck with me since my first time watching the movie and affirmed so much of how I try to approach my writing. Glad it connected with you, too.
“This world on fire still has good to discover.” 💜
Such a beautiful line. Thanks for reading, Janine!
Sometimes, loving something is being willing to walk away from it. Bravo @Alex, this was a fantastic post!
That part. Appreciate you reading, fam.
There’s another lyric in Hayley’s last album that I think relates to this. Although the song itself, Disappearing Man, has a completely different context, I think this stand line really applies here too: “My final act of love was surrender.”
I love that. Thank you for making that connection!
Beautifully written. Wow.
Thank you so much. I appreciate you making the time to read this one!
Thank you for putting into words what it feels like to grow up and feel as if you no longer fit the mould of your childhood home.
Whew thank you for reading and sharing how these words connected with you. Wherever you are now, whatever you’re doing, I hope there’s more good than bad. Sending love 🫂
i’m from nashville, moved away a year ago, so i really resonated with alot of this. i LOVE both of these songs and i would’ve probably never made this connection but it’s so perfect. so glad hayley shared this because i really enjoyed it ❤️
Thank you so much for giving my essay a chance, and I’m glad it could meet you where you are. I hope wherever you are now is treating you well 🫂
Ugh, this is beautifully written, I definitely resonate deeply with certain things.. going to a PWI as a queer black person is no joke!! 😮💨
Thank you for reading, Tamica. I appreciate you making the time and helping me feel less alone 🙏🏽
This was beautifully written. And thank you for introducing me to Joy. I’m gonna go listen now. ❤️
Thanks, Grace! I appreciate you making time, and I’m so jealous you get to listen to Joy for the first time. Her music has been a guiding light for me over the past few years!
Remind me to tell you my Joy Oladokun story one day
Please!
AAYEEE Charlotte love! I love this post. I always feel a slight tinge of responsibility in defending Charlotte since people say it has no culture. But being born here really showed me otherwise. Sometimes I have trouble holding the two truths that I can love it down but still want to leave and learn to love other places.
Yoo glad you’re here!! Great to meet another Charlotte native. Thank you so much for reading and helping me see I’m not alone. Holding the love and disappointment is not easy, but damn if it’s not the mark of a beautiful life 🥲
Powerful. This really resonated with me, as a native Southerner who’s now spent half her life in California and truly thinks of it as home. Not everyone gets it or can put it into words like you just did.
Thank you for reading, Reda. I’m happy to hear that I’m not alone. I appreciate you making the time.
Phenomenal as always, Alex. I also love these two songs, and how you weaved Joy and Hayley's experiences into your own makes them even more special ♥️
One of the many beauties of art. Getting to see ourselves in the artists’ creations. Thank you for seeing me and sharing what all of this meant to you. I appreciate you 🙏🏽