- 2024-05-05
-
MUSIC
-
-
Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ Winona Oak Releases New EP “Void”
Swedish singer-songwriter Winona Oak released her third EP “Void” on May 3, 2024.
It is her first project in two years since the 2022 debut album “Island of the Sun”.
Also, the EP is the first release under her new label Nettwerk Music Group.
The EP comprises 6-track, featuring a guest appearance from Swedish singer-songwriter Boy in Space, produced by Madelene Eliasson, Anton Engdahl, and Martin Stilling.
The EP showcases her most vulnerable and open as a heartfelt and poignant journal after losing her mother to cancer last year.
Winona Oak said of the EP, “Last year was by far the worst year of my life. When my mom passed away, I lost a part of myself that I will never get back. I’ve never felt so empty, so far from the person that I used to be. Living with grief is like learning how to live with half a heart. Everything is a constant reminder of what could have been. This EP was created in the middle of the chaos, with a void inside my chest. All the lyrics are raw and unfiltered, there’s parts of me in these songs that will tell you more about me than I could ever explain.”- She continued, “I feel very lucky to have such beautiful collaborators and friends that made it possible for me to be completely vulnerable. Every songwriter and producer on this record has played an important part of my journey and I could never thank them enough for helping me turn my pain into art. I hope you will love ‘Void’ as much as I do.”
-
Winona Oak explained about some tracks for the EP.
“With Or Without You”
“'With or without you' is one of the most personal songs I've ever written. I was 14 years old when my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer and the doctors gave her a maximum of 5 years to live. I always knew that she was one of a kind, more stubborn and hopeful than anyone I've ever known. Of course, she proved everyone wrong and lived 3 times longer than all the doctors predicted. She would smile at me and tell me not to worry 'I got this, there's always a sun behind the clouds'.
As I'm sitting here in the darkness, in the middle of my grief after finally losing her earlier this year, it's impossible to imagine a life without her. And in the midst of it all, I'm still so grateful to be her daughter, still so grateful for all the love that she gave me. I lost someone that's irreplaceable for me and with this song I'll let you into the most broken corners of my heart. Some will say I turned my pain into art.”
“Fire Escapes”
“I’ve been here a lot of times, so damn scared to open up my heart, to turn down all my guards that I would rather leave before someone gets a chance to hurt me. To be vulnerable is to be brave, it takes a lot of courage to take a risk - especially when you’ve been hurt before. Musically, this song takes a lot of inspiration from Swedish folk music, soft acoustic meets moody electronic synths with lots of layers and harmonies.”
“Fragile Thing”
“I release a song that’s dedicated to all the people (and dogs) that makes my life worth living even through the hardest of times. I know that all the beautiful moments, memories and all the love that I feel from you will make it worth all the pain in the end.”
“If I Were To Die”
“When catastrophic thinking sets in, I feel like everything's gonna fall apart. It's almost like I got so used to the chaos that I don't know how to function in peace. When everything is 'too good to be true' my brain automatically starts creating nightmare scenarios - I feel like I'm better off always expecting the worst.
Musically, I love how this song takes you on the same kind of journey as it does lyrically. Dark synths and crying guitars lead you into the arms of a big choir, with each harmony representing its own emotion.”
“Inside Out” with Boy in Space
“This song describes a story of self-reflection and unconditional love. Sometimes I just wish that I could see myself through someone else’s eyes, see the things that I don’t see, all the reasons they love me. Real love means loving someone from the inside out, flaws and scars, everything that makes them who they are.
Musically, I feel like it’s taking me to a new universe. I don’t know where to place it or what to compare it to. Maybe that’s why Boy In Space fits so well duetting with me on this record, we are both out there singing somewhere in synth space.”
Photo by Julian Marvin Gillström - source : Apple Music
