After enduring the heartache of a broken marriage coupled with the joy of giving birth to Jean, her beautiful baby girl, Grammy Award-nominated artist Tift Merritt has bounced back into the music scene stronger than ever before. The release of her latest album Stitch Of The World is a lyrical testimony of love and sadness recreated into success.
Current Magazine had a chance to chat it up with the American singer/songwriter Tift Merritt about her upcoming appearance at The Ark on 4/5/2017:
Swani: What message are you hoping your music will send to your audience?
Tift: My hope is that my songs speak for themselves; while I do hope they evoke a response of feeling, I have no expectation of what that might be. The listener responds freely – that is how music is a conversation, a communication. The act of writing and singing is always a hope to connect, to be less alone with our lives. While my music is absolutely personal and explores my own compass, there is no required come away, no preaching.
Swani: What inspires you to perform, to live, to exist and why?
Tift: Wow. Living and performing are two very different things. Existing is a solar system of its own! What I will say is that writing and making good things has always brought me joy. It is how I reach out to the world with my heart. I try to live with a similar joy and openness. While all of this is easy to say and often hard to do, it feels good to try and keep trying.
Swani: What’s next for you and your career?
Tift: I have no idea! Making your way work is a hustle and there’s no guarantee. I just put a record out, I’m touring Europe with Jason Isbell in the fall. I’m curating a festival for the North Carolina Art Museum. Most importantly, I have a young daughter and I want to be a really good mom.
Swani: What are your thoughts on Trump and his actions?
Tift: Â I’m very downhearted that the prevailing mindset in our leadership is one of disregard for compassion and our shared humanity. While it is difficult to even know how to keep us with all the news, I hope I am doing my part and trying to bring some beauty, love and peace to the world everyday in some small way.
