Kelowna-born singer-songwriter Haley Turner is releasing a new song which she hopes will help those dealing with grief throughout the holiday season.
Turner’s new song, titled Stay With Me (Jacob’s Song), is dedicated to a friend she had while still living in Kelowna who passed away suddenly when he was very young.
“The intention behind the song was to create space to remember and to sit in that moment because I find that we often shy away from talking about subjects that contain grief and (sic) offering support that those people need at the moment,” she said.
“I know the holidays are really challenging for a lot of people… grief isn’t really something we want to process during the holidays … so I wanted to offer this song at this time.”
Turner said she wanted those who may be grieving to know they are not alone.
She added she wrote the song to help process her feelings about Jacob’s death, which took her years to come to terms with. She said she didn’t fully understand or have the words for her grief until she had her own children.
“It’s a song that’s dedicated to him and his remembrance, but it’s also for anyone who wants to honour their loved ones and who want to ensure the world doesn’t forget that they were here,” she said.
Turner added she hopes the song opens up the conversation about emotional and mental health struggles, and that people continue to support each other during a difficult time.
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