Recent years have seen tremendous turmoil on the global stage – the war in Syria, Brexit, the election of Donald Trump, the rise of global terrorism, and a refugee crisis that has touched many countries, including the ongoing exodus of Rohingya people from Myanmar. Globally, more than 65 million people are currently displaced from their homes – that’s almost one in every 100 people on earth.
Irish musician, singer and songwriter Susie Q, also known as Susan Quirke, takes on some of these themes in the powerful new video for her debut track ‘Home’, which has been attracting huge attention in Ireland and internationally. The video features stirring footage from around the world, conveying some of the suffering that has emerged from the war in Syria and the resulting refugee crisis. It also blends in footage of faces from people across the globe in a powerful message that regardless of race or religion, we are all one people.
Hailing from Limerick, the same place as Cranberries songstress Dolores O'Riordan, Susie Q recorded the track with indie luminaries Colm Quearney and Rob Malone, both ex Lír, and Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Graham Hopkins, and Justin Carroll from the Frames. The Track was mixed and mastered by another former Frames member - Grammy Award winner Dave Odlum.
She says she wrote the song in response to feeling disturbed by news reports of unaccompanied children who fled their homeland and ended up living on the streets or in refugee camps. Though she understands that war and conflict can be complex, she says: “There is nothing complex about having empathy for another human who is suffering. There is no example in human history of fear or hatred bringing joy to people - love is a more powerful force”.
“The song is a reminder that whatever your race or religion, we are all one people, and together share this planet as our home. I think it’s important to remind ourselves of our shared humanity during these turbulent times. It can sometimes be easy to see each other as separate, but fundamentally we are all connected.” she said about the song.
“There are people who are violent with many different agendas but the world is mainly made up of decent people who end up suffering as a result. In many ways, today’s refugees across the world are not unlike those who fled the famine in Ireland on coffin ships in the 1800s. I think it’s important to remember that whatever our beliefs might be, most people in the world crave peace, safety, a home, an education, and decent lives for themselves and their children.”
You can watch the video on YouTube and listen to the track on Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp or on her website at www.susieqmusic.com. Susie Q’s debut album Into the Sea will follow later in 2018.
