Hit singer-songwriter Hillary Reynolds (cowriter on Little Big Town's chart topping "Nightfall" album) just released a new song called "What Faith Is" and to celebrate we asked her to tell us about the track. Here is the story:
This song came from a place of helplessness and the product of overwhelm. A lot of the time, the songs I write alone are therapy; usually working through something that cuts too deep. It was the beginning of the pandemic - March 15 - stay at home orders were on the horizon. It was the first time in months where I had to stay put. Like a lot of people, I was hanging on every next news article. It became a main source of anxiety. Gathering information, reading all of the emerging data, which became fear-inducing spirals. However, the PPE shortages really capped it all off for me.
I then started seeing little pockets of rural communities, specifically, Waupaca, WI, suddenly step up, and take matters into their own hands. An online community emerged - comprising mostly strangers. They would have Zoom meetings and began a coordinated effort to source materials and make masks for their local hospitals and communities. They would use bins in a church parking lot to drop off elastic, fabric - all the necessary materials for people to grab their supplies and start making masks. People even started taking elastic from their fitted sheets at home to make more masks, as elastic became extremely high demand. There's so much more to this story, but it hit me. They were HOPE. And that is when I sat on the floor next to my piano and lost myself in writing "What Faith Is." I needed this song.
The video for "What Faith Is" came from wanting to share the story of the mask makers, the frontline workers, neighbors, and those working at assisted living centers. Essentially, the power of everyone coming together in their own way all over the country in these gutting times. Honestly, being a musician has been rather isolating and helpless in these times. Recording this song and collaborating with all of these heroes felt like something I could contribute to add a little hope to the world.
My purpose in releasing this song and video is to remind others that while we're shown a lot of things to fear that there's still hope in the mess of it all. There's still kindness. There is still beauty in the brokenness. And we are resilient.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn about the Loveland Therapy Foundation, which the song will benefithere