On April 19th, Boston-based singer-songwriter Jodi Heights released her latest single. “Lone Wolf”, Jodi’s first single from her upcoming album Nocturne, has a strong message conveyed through a dreamy melody.
Jodi Heights is an artist who, as she mentions in her biography snippet on YouTube, is for fans of artists like Sarah McLachlan, Regina Spektor, or Tori Amos. Her vocal style paired with the lyrical quality of “Lone Wolf” absolutely gives merit to these recommendations. There’s a lot of power behind Heights’ vocals, but they are used in a not even slightly jarring manner.
At the start, “Lone Wolf” begins with Jodi Heights’ airy, dreamlike vocals and a subdued tone to the backing instruments. Heights’ has a vocal performance degree from the New England Conservatory. Eventually, Heights’ vocals as well as the instrumental backing swell to a meaningful crescendo. Certainly, the song’s rise to a powerful climax is a good measure of Heights’ strength as a vocalist. This vocal prowess, paired with instrumentation orchestrated by Cairo Marques-Neto, provides a comforting and welcoming presence within the song. This helps convey the overall message of “Lone Wolf”.
What is that message? You are not alone. There is no reason to isolate yourself when despairing. If you or someone you care about is grieving, know that somewhere you have a community that cares. As Jodi herself says about her message and its conveyance:
Wolves are one of my favorite animals, but humans have created a lot of misinformation about them. One is the idea of the lone wolf. In literature and art, humans use the term to stand for extreme independence, someone strong enough to leave the pack and strike out alone. But the reality in a wolf pack is much different. Wolves are unquestionably social creatures. Being part of a pack creates safety. Solitary wolves do exist, but only for temporary, transitional periods of time: to find a mate, to establish their own territory, to join or form a new pack, or because they’ve been exiled. If a wolf is alone for too long, survival becomes much more difficult. Because of this, I use the lone wolf as a metaphor for people you love who are isolating themselves. Maybe they’re grieving or recovering from a physical injury or suffering from a mental illness. My song is calling out for them to come back to where they are seen, and known, and loved. Recovery is easier when we have a pack to help us find our way home.
Jodi Heights
In a manner of speaking, “Lone Wolf” acts as a shepherd to those lost souls struggling to reclaim their place in the world, which, in so many ways is poignant and beautiful to boot.
In addition to releasing “Lone Wolf” on April 19th, Jodi Heights has also produced a 60-page literary companion piece to Nocturne. Dubbed the Nocturnal Journal, it is a paperback book that showcases original art. It also includes various prompts and introspections about the night, darkness, and the impact of mankind on that darkness.
You can listen to Jodi Heights’ newest single “Lone Wolf” from her upcoming album Nocturne on Spotify now!
