NEWS: FOLK ARTIST ZOË NUTT SHARES PERSONAL STORY OF HEARING LOSS IN EMOTIONAL MUSIC VIDEO
"I am going deaf. And I want people to know. We are all dealing with issues in our lives, but we don't have to be defined by our problems. I'd rather define my life by how I'm dealing with my problems. It's a strange feeling to be releasing a music video about losing my ability to hear, but it's the hand I've been dealt and one that I plan to overcome. This music video represents the start of my story and I'm very excited to write the next chapter.
I'm on a timer, and there's no way to know when my world will go silent, tomorrow or years from now. I was crying over the page in my notebook, finally letting the news sink in. You're not going to be able to hear. The bulk of "Like You" was written in the fear of that moment. It's a letter to the children I hope to have one day. It's been my way to come to terms with not knowing what's going to happen in the years to come. But releasing this music video has been more than just a letter to a possible future. It's most importantly the start of a conversation I've been longing to have with others. I am going deaf, but I will not let it stop me from making music.
When I first recorded a demo of "Like You," I was having a tough time getting people to relate to how I hear the world around me. I couldn't sleep at night due to the harsh ringing in my ears. I was convinced I'd go crazy over it. To add to those fears, simply trying to have a conversation was an uphill battle I usually lost. Hearing loss is a hidden disability to most, and unless you are willing to tattoo it on your forehead people forget that you can't hear them in certain environments. You hate to ask them to repeat everything, so often you stand on the outside of conversation, nod politely, and hope to catch the next word.. When I recorded the song I decided to add a high pitched ringing in the background, just like what I hear. The first time I played it for my friends I turned the volume way up and watched them shift in their seats. I had their attention. There was something very liberating about adding my ringing to the song. Finally, I saw in their faces a glimpse of fear and understanding of what I was going through 24/7. And from then on I knew I had something special to share and somehow I'd make this painful situation into something beautiful.
I purposely released this music video after my album's release. I am not one to define myself by my hearing loss. It will always shape me, but it should never be the pinnacle of what makes me Zoë. The music video itself was a joint effort between me and my hometown friend Ben Nelson. It was an off the cuff shoot in Knoxville, TN. Ben placed a camera in front of me and I said the first things that came to mind. We ran around to various spots in Knoxville that I had connections to, and placed emphasis on sound and visuals as it relates to my hearing loss. And so it was born!"
Head to HelloGiggles today to watch Zoë Nutt's compelling music video for "Like You," and download the track via Noisetrade to donate to the Hearing Loss Association of America. Follow Zoë Nutt online to keep up with new music, show dates, and more.
More about Zoë Nutt: Zoë Nutt is a storyteller. She likes to tell stories with music and poignant and meaningful lyrics, but it's perhaps her vocal interpretation of those words that brings her musical tales to life. Simply put, Zoë Nutt is a voice you will not soon forget. Raised in Knoxville, and a graduate of the songwriting school at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, Zoë has a way of quieting a room and hushing those voices in our heads that make it hard to sit and listen, so that all you want to do is hear the next thing she is going to sing. Cruz Contreras of The Black Lillies says, "Zoë Nutt has a voice as haunting and seemingly ancient as the East Tennessee hills she hails from. Her lyricism and delivery are poignant, fresh and promising. Like so many great artists, she knows how to mix the new with the old and create music with broad appeal while never compromising her artistic integrity."
Zoë is an artist to her core. With a guitar by her side, her music is a reflection of who she is and how she observes the world. "I write music to connect with people who feel the same way," she says. "My style is eclectic and reflects my interest in all types of music. My songs are about life, living and feelings, good and bad, that we all experience. If my music makes you smile, or even cry, that's how we know we are not alone." Also a Zoë fan, is Grammy nominated, award-winning producer Travis Wyrick (Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels) who says, "Zoë combines a beautiful balance of more traditional sounds with a modern folk twist. You must hear her sounds to truly understand the beauty of her voice."
With her first full album LIKE YOU, Zoë is happy with where she is and reflects on the emotion that went into making her first project. Zoë writes of her struggles with hearing loss, something she has dealt with her entire life. "Like You," is a melting of the heart, truthful song written in the form of a letter addressed to Zoë's unborn children. "It's a way of coping and coming to terms with my hearing loss. The tinnitus and ringing that I always hear, is played in the song," she says. The album is full of songs that get right to the core of being human and all of the emotions that go with that journey. In the end, "Sweet Tennessee," tells the story of Zoë, her family life on the Tennessee River, and spending time on the water. "It's a big part of my home town culture. It's a simple feel good story about a place that's influenced me greatly."
More about The Hearing Loss Association of America: The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), founded in 1979, opens the world of communication to people with hearing loss through information, education, support and advocacy. HLAA produces the Walk4Hearing in 21 cities across the country, publishes the bimonthly Hearing Loss Magazine, holds annual conventions (the HLAA2017 Convention is in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 22 - 25), advocates for the rights of people with hearing loss, conducts educational webinars, and has an extensive network of chapters and state organizations across the country. For more information, visit hearingloss.org.
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