Following the death of her Mum, Lewis’s world fell apart, and her music was the only thing that kept her together. WISE OWL speaks of that journey through the darkest terrain of her grief, at first tormented by the terrors, the deep-searching, gut-wrenching disbelief and then the utter confusion as her world fell apart into a fragmentation of its former self. The wise owl was her journeying companion, at first attacking, tormenting and haunting her until she accepted the owl, learnt from the owl, and allowed the owl medicine to permeate her skin. She developed its vision and wisdom and with that the fragmented pieces began to fall back into place and see could see the truth of her reality without the delusion and confusion of her grief. In Celtic tradition The owl was viewed as the spirit animal that would carry the souls of the departed to the underworld. Similarly in Roman tradition the Owl could represent the spirit of a deceased family of close friend.


The companion piece to WISE OWL is a gentle lullaby LITTLE BIRD. Lewis was initially commissioned to write Little Bird for a Double award winning theatre show Hidden Birds directed by Abigail Anderson which she went on to perform in at The International Theatre Festival, Les Eurotopiques in Lille, France. The show explored the theme of Boundaries, borders and torture and the song was written from the perspective of a woman imprisoned in a cell who had been tortured and was in her last search for hope. Hope appeared for her in the form of a little bird who appeared at the cell window and spoke of the unifying beauty and freedom of unconditional love. Having never actually experienced torture Lewis initially struggled to write the piece. Then one day half way through rehearsals, she was cycling past Brockley cemetery when a delicate grey and blue bird hopped onto the wall. She stopped her bike, grabbed her phone and sang Little Bird into her voice memos. And the song was born. The death of her Mum was the greatest trauma Lewis had experienced and so LITTLE BIRD became the perfect companion piece to WISE OWL.
 
released September 15, 2017

Co-Produced by ALEX FORSTER and LEWIS BARFOOT
Vocals, Guitar and Lyrics by LEWIS BARFOOT
Clarinet by MATT DIBBLE
Cello by MARIA RODRIGUEZ REINA
Mastered by PETE MAHER
Music Video and Artwork by NARAE KIM