<p>Seán Barna is a true folk songwriter, sharing stories within his songs that resonate deeply, evoking powerful emotions while fostering a strong sense of community. His music connects people, whether through car stereos or through the vibrant energy that he transmits as he performs fearlessly in venues and clubs across the country. Seán’s latest release, <em>“Wallflower,”</em> a collaboration with Mirah, offers a preview of his upcoming EP, <em>Internal Trembling,</em> set to release on November 22nd via Kill Rock Stars Nashville.</p>
<p><span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><amp-youtube data-videoid="iR4yQ1SeIuE" data-param-rel="1" data-param-showsearch="0" data-param-showinfo="1" data-param-iv_load_policy="1" data-param-fs="1" data-param-hl="en-US" data-param-autohide="2" data-param-wmode="transparent" width="730" height="411" layout="responsive"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR4yQ1SeIuE" placeholder><amp-img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iR4yQ1SeIuE/hqdefault.jpg" alt="YouTube Poster" layout="fill" object-fit="cover"><noscript><img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iR4yQ1SeIuE/hqdefault.jpg" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="YouTube Poster"></noscript></amp-img></a></amp-youtube></span></p>
<p>The song opens with a warm, rich arrangement of acoustic guitars, mandolin, and fiddle, creating a tender foundation for Barna’s soft, soulful croon. His voice feels like a gentle embrace, especially for queer listeners who may find solace or shed tears of grief while immersed in the music and lyrics of the track. Every lyric is crafted with intention, carrying layers of meaning for the listener to unpack.</p>
<p>The first verse paints a haunting picture, seemingly recounting a tragedy, perhaps a hate crime, and closing with the powerful line: <em>“And I promise we will find him, but, Jesus, we are tired.”</em> It’s a sentiment that reflects the exhaustion of surviving as queer in today’s disastrous political climate. Another line, <em>“Waking up is my superpower,”</em> echoes the quiet resilience many queer people hold onto daily.</p>
<p>&#8220;Wallflower&#8221; makes room for grief. It makes room for community. It makes room for the truth to be known. Transgender Day of Remembrance, observed on November 20th, is a somber day for the community, dedicated to mourning and memorializing transgender individuals lost to senseless acts of transphobic violence. Barna’s song arrives at a poignant moment, offering an additional space for reflection and honoring of those lives lost. Barna’s lyrics overflow with emotion as he honors his queer chosen family and mourns those lost, including iconic figures like our transcestor Marsha P. Johnson. He also mourns the victims of the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, whom we lost two years ago on the eve and early morning of Transgender Day of Remembrance.</p>
<p>He memorializes these lost queer lives through his lines, and he does it with such grace:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;So Derrick meet me at the party,<br />
A beautiful party,<br />
Toasting to our ghosts,<br />
I hope Ms. Marsha wasn&#8217;t cold,<br />
In that river,<br />
With Ashley, Daniel, and the girls and boys we know.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>With this heartfelt dedication and incredible songwriting talents, Barna creates a space for remembrance, resilience, and queer solidarity, filling both ears and hearts with the depth of his storytelling and the weight of shared grief and love.<a href="https://rockthepigeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sean-barna-promo-macri-park-sept-2022-85-1665004253463.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-27807 alignright" src="https://rockthepigeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sean-barna-promo-macri-park-sept-2022-85-1665004253463.jpg" alt="" width="547" height="821" /></a></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="p1"><em>&#8220;It is astounding to me that in my lifetime it became relatively acceptable, at least in the USA,to live an openly queer life. There are two important things to note, however. First, this is absolutely not universally true. Second, countless generations of queer people have made immense sacrifices to make that true. Being openly queer has always been a life and death consideration. This is certainly true with the five people who lost their lives in 2022 at a gay bar in Colorado Springs.</em></p>
<p class="p1"><em>As a white, middle-class New Englander who had access to great education and can pass as straight, I’m arguably the least-threatened gay guy around. However, I still have never been more terrified than the day I told my parents I was gay. Now that I’m open and have a platform, I take seriously the responsibility to speak fearlessly and honestly—making sure that my presence alone demands a safe space for queer people in any room I walk into.&#8221; &#8211; Seán Barna</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Pre-save Seán Barna&#8217;s upcoming EP here: <a href="https://pocp.co/internal-trembling.oyd">https://pocp.co/internal-trembling.oyd</a> (Out Nov 22nd, 2024)</p>
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<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Written by<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ryancassata/"> <span class="s2">Ryan Cassata</span></a> </span></p>
<p class="p2">Submit a single,<a href="https://www.submithub.com/blog/rock-the-pigeon-music-blog"> <span class="s4">here</span></a>.</p>
<p class="p2">Submit an EP or LP,<a href="https://www.submithub.com/m/u/ryancassatareviews"> <span class="s4">here</span></a>.</p>
<p class="p2">Submithub Coupon. <a href="https://www.submithub.com/coupon/ryancassata"><span class="s4">here</span></a>.</p>