The recurring feelings of our troubling past can be overwhelming and irrepressible. It can monopolize us, keeping us from moving forward with our lives, and leaving us stagnant in the same overbearing emotions we once endured from our past. Although we try and move forward, taking a different itinerary in life in hopes of outrunning the entities that wish for our demise, they can find us again in places that we once believed were sacred. These are nightmares. Nightmares will violently shake us awake, leaving us in a nebulous state– stewing on the possibility of whether or not we have truly healed from our traumatic past, or if we simply outran it for a concise moment. In a cold sweat with nothing but the riotous sound of our thrashing hearts that desire to break loose from our trembling bodies, we try to gather ourselves. The memories, so knowledgeable and so familiar, can take us back into the painful mindset we were once in, suffering in utter silence, the weeping cries of our desperation never reaching out far enough for others to hear. Nightmare, by Terence Sun, is a song that portrays this image in the form of a rhythmic tune. It retells the potent sentiments of an interminable depression and unbeatable death. One that our singer believes he had formally outran before, but yet continues to be tormented by his nightmares that remind him of the depths of the struggles he formally went through, stemming him from living out his life in happiness. There was an insurmountably notable lyric, and those were “can’t face the fact of dying” and “this nightmares got me trying”. It’s almost as though the singer continues to have these unfortunate nightmares, and yet they are the exact reason why Terence continues to push himself and strive for better days. The nightmares remind him that he’s stuck in the past, stuck on the feelings he just can’t seem to shake off, but he’s trying to fix himself and cleanse his soul.
After listening to the song for the first time, I struggled to uncover the message of Terences' song. However, after writing out the lyrics myself, and putting painstaking thought into what his deeply crafted words could possibly mean, I realized exactly what our artist was talking about. It’s simply in the title itself– a recurring nightmare. Although the tune of the song sounds rather uplifting and catchy, I find that the lyrics almost beg to differ. I find myself personally connecting with the lyrics more than anything. I find myself constantly worrying over my past, frightened of finding myself at my lowest again, where my thoughts would never uplift, where my worries seemed incessant. When I believed the weight of my anxiety would never seem to disperse. Terences’ talented somber voice provides the song with more of a lugubrious effect, accentuating just how meaningful and delicate these lyrics are to him. Although the song itself tells about a suffocating and recurring nightmare of powerful emotions, the last lyrics give me immense hope that we will find our way to prevail. We may even find the strength in our nightmares that call upon our death, it will keep us striving for a better life and push for the happiness that we deserve.
Terence Sun, the artist behind such a fragile and strengthening song, is a singer and songwriter mostly linked to genres like indie folk. It seems Terence has always had an emphatic passion for music and singing. On his Instagram, he can be seen doing covers of popular songs with his piano or guitar quite frequently, showing off his talents in both instruments and singing. Throughout the years of his pursuit of singing, he would attend small gigs where he would perform songs that he had written himself over small crowds of people in intimate spaces. His strong passion for music is such an inspiration! His natural talents in music and songwriting should not be kept secret, and it’s time listeners gave Terences' music a chance to appreciate his musical and artistic talents. His dedication has inspired me and I personally cannot wait to hear more of what Terence has in stores! Continue to support Terence by following his socials, and keep up with his journey as a singer.
Written By Rosalyn Sanchez
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