HIBISCUS

SARAH ROBYN FARRELL

Hibiscus is a soundscape that details a personal experience of grief and loss during Covid-19, intermingled with the artistic process of writing a song. It starts with spoken-word (including ambient music and sounds) — a sensory story-telling describing the months and weeks that led up to, and followed, the death of the artist’s mother by suicide, shortly after she had been diagnosed with Covid-19. It touches on the mental health effects of the pandemic and virus itself, as well as systemic issues. Following the spoken-word, the song plays to round off the piece and offer a sense of upliftment, relief and hope.