Castles (From the rubble of your love)

I went to Leeds Castle for the day last week - somewhere I have always wanted to go - and I was taken aback by the beauty, history and emotional pull the castle and grounds have. I spent a long time talking with volunteers about the history, and something I found almost hard to believe is that there are no reports of anything bad happening in the castle - it was built as a home.

This got me thinking about the Freya Ridings track, 'Castles'. The concept of rebuilding yourself after a relationship (or other) into something stronger, more structured and regal... but is still masking the true form of strength of defence.

To be completely honest, when 'Castles' was released, I was never a big fan of the track. It is only now that I have truly appreciated the metaphor and symbolism that Ridings brings within the emotive hit.

Castles are a symbol of lasting strength and legacy, perfectly crafted to defend its occupiers - Ridings cleverly draws on this as an analogy for rebuilding back stronger than ever.

Boasting many defences such as swans acting as 'guards' making noise whenever someone approaches, a moat to separate and create perilous distance, and the drawbridge as a final cut off, castles are the epitome of status, class and power.

I think we all have these defences ourselves, internally. Sometimes we don't realise we have them until they are automatically triggered by a word, action or even a song. Music has the power to both raise and lower these drawbridges, it is about tapping into the triggers to truly understand ourselves and our responses, which is something Freya Ridings does so beautifully, through captivating and thought provoking lyrics that are paired with her enchanting vocals.

A true powerhouse, Ridings perfectly conveys complex emotion and aftermath of trauma through a perfectly broken analogy, resonating with many a listener and (hopefully) empowering them along the journey.