Music is one of the best ways to convey emotions and tell a story.
That’s why when recording artist Melanie Dekker was asked to be the musical guest for the final Nite of Hope Gala Evening in Richmond on April 16 at the River Rock Show Theatre, she knew that writing an original song for the event was going to be her personal contribution.
“I don’t have a personal cancer story in my life or family, but my best friend’s husband died of cancer about eight years ago and was fresh on my mind the other day,” said Dekker, who was briefly back in Vancouver recently on a break from her tour in northern Europe. “I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more grief for another person. And grief comes from inside, where we feel hurt, destroyed or crushed.”
In the face of those deep emotions, Dekker said she likes to turn the focus around in her music and pen a song that is more upbeat — something she accomplished several years ago when she appeared at a charity concert for the Wounded Soldier Campaign in the Hamptons, NY and sang Fall In(Wounded Soldier).
“I wanted to express something that had nothing to do with war, necessarily, but human beings,” Dekker said. “So, I won’t write a song about cancer. It’s about people. And it sounds super positive — a lot of my music is that way.”
“I also wanted to write something that people felt like singing along to and holding hands.”
To help her with the lyrics, Dekker enlisted her best friend’s help.
“I tend to write music when I can connect with another person,” Dekker said, adding she also tapped into her larger musical community to provide some background for her song. “Many musicians I have toured with have also battled cancer. It’s not a ‘dirty’ word anymore. But with music, I hope to spread a connected, empowered, and empathic message.”
Dekker said she is looking forward to that opportunity at the Nite of Hope Gala Evening and will be fine tuning her original song for while on tour in the weeks leading up to the event.
“Once I create something I’ll try it out on small audiences, sometimes with family, or in the middle of a (concert) set where no one expects me to sneak a new song in, just to see what the reaction will be,” she said.
She also calls on her musical instincts.
“Ironically, our instincts never let us down. We let ourselves down by not using them,” she said.
The song writing process, from start to finish, can take about three weeks. Getting the song ready for a performance can take a little longer.
“The first time I play a new song, the focus is so intense on playing it accurately,” she said. “But it’s a little bit like running a race — you’ve prepared for so long and now here’s the chance to perform and you have to focus. Even though a song is about four minutes long, there’s a pace involved. But on the second, third, fifth or hundredth time, I get emotional.”
The Nite of Hope Gala Evening is set for Thursday April 16 at the River Rock Show Theatre. For more information about the event and how to help support it though a donation or purchasing tickets for the night, visit niteofhope.com.
