Roots Anthem for Feminism in Honor of Christine Blasey Ford. - May Erlewine: Whole Again
posted 15 Oct 2019 by Krister Axel
Lifts the image of Ford's heroic testimony towards the light of collective connection and the solidarity that comes from standing together for what is right.

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'Whole Again' is the first single and accompanying music video from Michigan musician May Erlewine’s upcoming studio album, Second Sight. This gospel-inspired exploration of Americana-pop challenges us to stay vigilant, and to consider what’s really being asked of women in their day-to-day lives in resistance against a persistent modern patriarchy.

The song and video are lush with symbols of feminism, patriotism, grief and tenderness. In the video’s core scenes, we see women of all ages and races adding stitches to a massive American flag, holding the heavy fabric and slowly, deliberately pulling the thread - a labor of love, perhaps; or duty, or necessity. The lyrics to this song were first written by Erlewine as a poem while watching the widely-televised testimony of Christine Blasey Ford during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings. Erlewine brought the poem to Tyler Duncan and together they crafted a truly moving piece. The music video was produced by John Hanson and May Erlewine, and filmed by Joshua Skinner, and underscores the redemptive power of forgiveness, while also ensuring that the burden of double-standards and toxic masculinity is never forgotten to those that carry its weight on their shoulders. Erlewine lifts the image of Ford's heroic testimony above the pettiness of Kavanaugh's disrespect for women, towards the light of a collective connection and the solidarity that comes from standing up for what is right - no matter the cost.

Whole Again is featured on our Americana playlist.

About the Author

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Krister Bjornson Axel

Ogdensburg, New York

Paris, France. Madison, Wisconsin. Los Angeles. Ashland, Oregon. Ottawa. I write music, I write about music, and I write code. See also: photography, prose, podcasting. I have 1 gorgeous wife, 2 amazing kids, and many interests.


Recent Awards: 2020 ND (Photo) Honorable Mention, 2020 Accenti Writing Contest Finalist