There’s no lonelier feeling than being in a room full of people and still feeling alone. There’s no feeling sadder than going out, hoping to see one person, and being surrounded by strangers, although they all seem to look like them in a quick flash. It doesn’t matter if you’re laying in bed, driving down the street, or at a party, somehow everything reminds you of them and your mind can’t help but take you back in an instant. People ask you how you are, and you smile and nod while your mind plays a movie of the first time they kissed you. The flashbacks are the only thing we have to hold onto, and when we close our eyes, just for a moment, it feels like the memories are happening for the very first time. No matter if it’s been a day, a month, or a year, those flashbacks give us hope of reminiscing, even if we know deep in our soul that person is no longer the right fit for us. We have changed; we have grown; we have “moved on”, but we still wonder if they’re wondering about us. Do they lie awake at night unable to sleep because our story plays in the projector of their mind? Do they see my face in every crowded place? Are they really over it or just really good at pretending they are happy? Did I ever matter at all if they’re not heartbroken and lonely right now? Do the flashbacks stop them in their tracks? These questions consume us and we just want to know the truth. Although the truth is never black and white. Sometimes two people miss each other just the same, and they both live in fear of reaching out and trying again, so they both do what they can to heal, move on, and put on a happy face. We will never know what they’re thinking or feeling unless we ask, so for now, the flashbacks will wrap us in a warm blanket and bring us back to a time when love wasn’t so scary. The flashbacks, as frustrating and gut-wrenching as they are, become our favorite movie, and healed or not, we will always be first in line, ready to watch again.
“Flashbacks” by Lorelei Marcell and Hardcastle is a relatable new alternative-pop single. This song is based on true events, and you can hear the raw vulnerability through your speakers. The soft, melancholy lyrics meld perfectly with the angsty guitar. Every person listening to “Flashbacks” will be taken through a flashback of their own; we all have that one ex our mind can’t seem to let go of. No matter how much time or distance extends, every sad song, every crowded room, every one shot too many takes us right back to them. Sometimes we don’t even wish to be back in their arms; we know we made the right choice through our head and our gut instinct, but sometimes our heart takes a little longer to get to the same conclusion. We want someone new to fill a void, and we get excited by first date invitations and flirty text message exchanges, but in an instant you’re looking at them through the dark and see the one person you’re trying so desperately to forget. There’s no correct path to healing; we do the best we can, and if it takes a month or 3 years, that is our journey and it’s the one we’re supposed to be on. Flashbacks can be comforting when the world turns a little too lonely. One day they’ll stop, and we’ll look back fondly and with reverence for what that was and how it got us to where we are today.
Lorelei Marcell is a singer/songwriter from Boston, and she now resides in Los Angeles. Hardcastle is a singer/songwriter from Nashville, and he also resides in LA. Lorelei has over a million streams on music platforms, and she continues to gain astronomical views and streams through her social media. Hardcastle charted on Spotify’s Viral 50 charts nationally and globally due to pure talent and an amazing fan base. Together, this pair created a safe space for a topic that can be harrowing. Their talents, experiences, and dedication combined turned into an introspective insight into the secrets we keep locked away inside the four walls of our mind post-breakup. This is a song we will continue to have on repeat, and Lorelei and Hardcastle are two artists we won’t mind having constant flashbacks of.
Written By Grace Chapman
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