Baby Get Free and Get Over It

A conversation with Rozzi on her new single, “Hymns for Tomorrow”

As the world around us keeps changing, it would be absurd to assume that we have not evolved alongside it. As 2021 kicked-off, I realized that the upcoming New Year wouldn’t magically change things. I figured that if I wanted to move on, I needed to break out of old patterns and start being my true self.  

I know you are not here to read about my experiences, so I won’t dive into them, but it’s hard not be  moved or to relate to a song of that power. With her new single, “Hymns for Tomorrow”, singer  songwriter Rozzi Crane, gave me the strength to let go of relationships and places that were no longer serving me. It also gave me hope for a brighter tomorrow — not only for my own selfish reasons but for the  overall state of the world.  

We talked about the difference between giving up and letting go, what it means to love someone as  opposed to being attached to them. She shared her recipe for heartbreak and we discussed a world  where we can love freely, being whoever we choose to be.  

As we began our conversation, I couldn’t help but tell her how strongly I resonated with her words, how I thought “she’s got it”- the moment the song finished. She had so clearly expressed both the struggle and freedom of letting something go.  

So, I started off by asking about the inspiration behind Hymns for Tomorrow.  

For me, it was literally that… letting go. I realized that I had been holding on very tightly to stuff that  was just haunting me - past relationships, “failed” work. And I say this between quotes because I  think things can feel like failures when they are really just a part of the journey to the next thing. I was  holding on to them, and they were preventing me from going forward.  

I remember the last time I was in New York, I was walking down the steps of the subway and I literally  stopped on the spot to block someone from my phone so they couldn’t contact me anymore. It was the first time I had been able to do anything like that. It was like I was finally done, and ready to let go. I wrote the song that week. Sometimes, something will happen in my life that feels like a big change and I immediately want to write a song about it. Almost like a signed contract with myself.  

Closure…  

Yeah exactly! The song is the closure and it crystallises the event. I wanted to put into words this whole  feeling that letting go is not the same as giving up. It just means that we are making room for  something new. But it’s hard for me because it’s the opposite of my natural instinct.  

Trust me I get it, I always think there is something more I could have done. To the point of  being emotionally exhausted.  

Yeah, it’s so hard. Sometimes we hold on to these things thinking nothing will ever amount from them, or that we will never get over them. The truth is, it doesn’t have to be like that. No matter how old you are, there is life ahead of you. So the song is a reminder to myself to stay on track, and keep looking forward.  

What would you say is the difference between loving someone and being attached to  someone? Because I think a lot of people always confuse them.  

Such a good question. In my family, love is almost a synonym for letting someone be free. Freedom is  love. Letting somebody do what they need to do, follow their own path even if that means including  less of you in their life is love to me.  

It is really hard, but I look back at times when somebody I loved needed some form of space- physical  or emotional. It is about not talking their shit personally. They can be hurting, but it has nothing to do  with you. Be kind and give them space to feel without making it about you. To me, that is love.  

I think attachment is clinging onto something, and it’s more about you than about them. You want  them for yourself, so you hold them closer. That’s not really loving them, that's just kind of giving into  what you want. I would say they are kind of opposite. Love is setting free whereas attachment is holding tight.  

Talking from a personal experience, I sometimes feel that because I am so empathetic and  sensitive, things are emotionally harder for me. Do you think that’s the case for you?    

I think that when you are a deeply emotional person, everything is elevated. I am really sensitive so I  will have really high-highs and really low-lows. I laugh a lot and then cry. I am in touch with it all, it’s like being in the ocean all the time. I have some friends and family that are so good at coasting, like my mom. She is super chill and just consistent- good at going with the flow.

It’s really fascinating to me how differently we experience things, and I will say that as an artist I feel  really fortunate for my highs and lows. I can feel the nucleus of human experience so intensely that it  helps me write songs and sing them in a way that deeply connects with people.  

As an artist, it is your job to experience life and then articulate it.

Yeah, I totally agree. Maybe because we feel things this particular way, it is harder for people  like us to move on.  

That’s actually a really good point but I don’t really know. I think it was Miley Cyrus in a Howard Stern  interview that said something like: “I’m into all sorts of things, I’m down with so many different types of  guys, girls, whatever. I am into everything but the one thing I don’t do is I don’t fuck past guys”. When  she said that, I remember being impressed by her way of thinking. She doesn’t look back, when  something is done she lets go of it. I don’t know her, but she seems like someone who feels deeply.  

Sometimes I think that being highly emotional and feeling deeply is one thing, but being the kind of person who holds on tight is a separate quality all together.  

What’s your recipe for heartbreak?  

I would say:  

Step one: Feel it completely. In my experience, women tend to go through the breakup stages quicker. They immediately feel the pain, the loss, the grief. Once going through all the stages, they start to feel better. I’ve noticed a lot of men numb the feeling and then it hits them a few months later.

Step two: Have a good support system. I remember when I was so sad that I had to constantly be talking about it- clearly that’s my processing style. So I had like 5 friends that I could call at different  hours of the day and share my feelings with.

Step three: Journal. I know everyone is not a writer but my whole album was a result of me journaling about my breakup on my laptop. Everything that I was feeling- my fears, thoughts, and memories.  One day you are going to romanticize the breakup. You’re going to be married with kids and think back to that breakup that devastated you in your 20’s. There is something to be said about the experience of deeply missing someone in your life. It is kind of romantic in a twisted way,  but it is nice to capture it when it happens. 

Step four: Do something that makes you feel cool, hot, and fun. I know it’s hard at the moment, but  looking your best and feeling hot always makes you feel better.  

I want to ask you about self-love. I know it has become a very generic thing, but I feel like after  everything that happened last year, it has been redefined. Like for me it has become some sort  of self-respect, so how do you think self-love has changed within you during this past year?  

Yeah, totally. It gets diluted by all the Instagram posts claiming “this is self love”. I think self-love actually has to do with self-esteem. It is really hard to make healthy choices if you don’t have self-esteem. Sometimes it’s out of your  control because it is related to your race or the world that you’re born into. So some people definitely have it easier  than others.  

For me, self-love has been about forgiving myself for not writing as many songs and allowing my patterns to change. Creating some sort of structure in my life has been helpful. I’m the type of person that needs a schedule because I love doing nothing- if I didn’t have one, it would be a disaster.  

But, just like you’re saying... for me it has to do with truly respecting yourself and that’s bigger than just  making sure you get exercise every day or that you eat nutritious foods. It comes from choosing relationships with people that love you for the right reasons- the reasons why you should love yourself.  

As we kept talking and sharing experiences about self-love and self-respect, I began to think about how being true to yourself is one of the biggest forms of self-love. I felt we were at the cusp of a sexual revolution because of it. As we started to chat about a world more inclusive I had to ask…  

How do you perceive the world becoming more open towards sex and gender inclusivity?  

I think it’s really exciting! How nice to be a kid growing up in a world that is really supportive. I am from  San Francisco and grew up in a very liberal environment. My parents always encouraged me to be  whoever I wanted to be, and I was very lucky in that way. That was just the 90s version of it- I bet  that the 2021 version would be a whole other level.!

It seems so simple to me, but it is a revolutionary thought. Being whoever and whatever you want to  be opens the door for all sorts of stuff. It also makes the world sexier, “a lot less vanilla”. I am all for it, I  think it’s amazing!

And you are right, we are definitely in the process of a gender-sex revolution of some kind. I mean,  something as simple as people listing their pronouns in a zoom meeting is mind-blowing because a  year ago, that wouldn’t be the case. It’s a new concept and it’s very exciting. 

For me, thinking of the many changes our generation has had to experience, this is one of the  best things that has happened to us as humans. It gives us more freedom to love- love without  mental barriers.  

Just like you are saying, it makes room and gives people the opportunity to literally follow their  feelings and desires, rather than something else. That can only lead to better relationships, happier  parents and happier kids.  

I really wanted to say that I love your Spotify Playlists, it is such a cool thing to release a song  and then do a playlists inspired by it. It really gets you in a mood.  

Thank you! Yeah, when I released “Hymns for Tomorrow”, I just made a playlist with that same title and I keep updating it. There are songs in there that make me feel similar; a combo of nostalgia and an ethereal, dreamy feeling.  

I have Chance the Rapper... I have Beyoncé’s song “All Night”, which is the end of “Lemonade” when she’s releasing her demons and moving forward... Simon and Garfunkel, which feels like an adventure or a road trip... Some Jhené Aiko... “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles… Frank Ocean… Songs that give me an emotional reaction of releasing and looking into the future.  

Would you say that becoming a person that only looks forward is one of your main takeaways from your past experiences?  

I think the first lesson was just accepting that any resemblance of control I thought I had was just an  illusion. I’m a control freak, I would control everything if I could. It really hit me this year how control  doesn’t exist. There is something very liberating about it, so you might as well just make art and hang  out with the people that you love. Do things that make you feel good.  

I learned that you can get better at anything if you really want to or really need to. I have been trying to play the piano my whole life and it wasn’t until Covid that I learned.

I really appreciated the people in my life. I miss seeing people. Talking to my friends makes me feel normal because there’s always a little bit of an edge in every interaction.

I’m super scared of Covid and I really don’t want to get it. All of my relationships feel a little fractured. So I have more appreciation for the people in my life and I hope I carry that with  me. I also hope that I never again take for granted a raging dance party, where everyone is sweaty and grinding, and making out, and sharing straws.  

What would you advise people do to move on?  

You can’t rush it. I’m sure everybody has that friend who keeps going back to some stupid ex, or  keeps talking about some phase from their life. It’s frustrating that they can’t let it go because you  know they would be better if they did. The thing is you can’t make someone do that, they have to be  ready. So you don’t need to force it or rush it, just give it time.  

For me, it’s always about making art. Everybody has something even if it's just redecorating your room,  getting plants for the house - something artistic where you can channel that emotion. Find  something that makes you excited; a new goal, a new person, etc. Create a plan that helps you move  forward. 

What’s in the future for you?  

This is the year that I will be releasing so much music and I am so excited for it. 

It all started with “Hymns for Tomorrow”. Then I have another song coming out in a couple of months. After that I’m planning to release the first part of a new album. I have songs that I recorded in London with my producer just before California went into Lockdown, so we’ll see what happens. I know that I will be releasing music all year long.  

I heard Dr. Fauci said that if it all goes well by mid-fall, people will feel comfortable going out. So I’m  hoping by then I can be on a stage somewhere, singing to an audience. Just crossing my fingers! Until then,  I will be singing for everybody on Instagram until I die!