Out now - ‘Dearest’ by Simone Seales
News Story
Inspired by the warmth, nostalgia and tension of first queer love, Dearest is the debut studio album from Simone Seales.
This multi-disciplinary work is grounded in poetry and draws upon the voice of the cello to carry the emotional weight of honouring their relationship from a decade ago - blending classical technique with free improvisation into an intimate and affecting piece of work.
Simone Seales is a cellist, improviser and performance artist based in Glasgow. A member of the Paraorchestra ensemble, they are also one of our current Musicians in Residence.
Written and composed by Seales and performed by collaborator and multidisciplinary artist Mele Broomes, the album draws on Seales’s lived experience, weaving in a tribute to Patricia Highsmith’s The Price of Salt and Todd Haynes’s film adaptation Carol.
Speaking on the creation of the album, Seales explains:
Dearest reflects on a relationship that profoundly shifted my understanding of myself and my place in the world. During that period I encountered homophobia and racism, and the cello became my lifeline, my voice, and my way of expressing what I couldn’t put into words.
Simone Seales
Having spent many years avoiding warm memories of their first love, Dearest acts as a vessel of multiple truths - love can be beautiful, it can leave behind scars, and it will all be okay.
Dearest is out now and available to buy and stream. Head to Bandcamp to listen now.
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