“The Well” by Hilary Cousins: Exploring Loss, Nostalgia, and Self-Identity
- Jay Castellano
- 10 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Hilary Cousins is a singer/songwriter based in LA who conveys layers of emotion through relatable lyrics and earworms within the melody and rhythms. Releasing music consistently and performing in Southern California, Cousins has started to see an overwhelming amount of support, receiving over 50k streams and over 150k views on social media. Cousins is a man of many talents; along with being a songwriter, he is a writer, content manager, filmmaker, editor, and audio engineer. With the release of his new single, “The Well,” Cousins shows us just how open he can be in his music.
“The Well”
Performed by: Hilary Cousins, Chris Ranney, Mike Pappas, Dan Wistrom, Linn Holmes
Written by: Hilary Cousins
Produced by: Hilary Cousins and Mike Pappas
In the words of Hilary Cousins: “The power of this song is that, while I think it's about experiences and memories specific to me, it completely transcends those particulars and guides listeners into their own reflections and feelings. The imagery and language of the lyrics are open-ended and evocative, not confined to a specific narrative. Honestly, I'm not sure how this composition came to be, but I'm very proud and grateful that it did.”
LONG STORY SHORT: “The Well” by Hilary Cousins is a piano ballad that explores countless themes and emotions depending on how one perceives it. Building slowly, the song starts with light piano chords and vocals, welcoming more sounds and instruments as it progresses. Cousins reflects on the loss of someone very important to them, which can be heard in their cadence as well as in the angsty lyrics. We can hear a sense of reliance through the words, “I have drunk of the water from wells I did not dig, I've been warmed in the night by fires I did not build.” These words depict what it feels like to have someone selflessly provide for you, and the tone that the song sets lets us hear how it feels to lose that comfort. Even when all of the elements of the song are present (percussion, guitar, piano, vocals, harmonies, etc.), it still knows how to contain itself and remain satisfying for the listener.
Stream "The Well" below!
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