PREMIERE – Jordan Hart – “Stay” (Single Review)

Jenna Melanson·May 10, 2023

Jordan Hart Unveils Music Video For His Single, “Stay”

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Jordan Hart has released the lyric video for his intimate and ethereal track “Stay,” the latest release in his repertoire.

A song that is dedicated to all parents and primary care takers out there, Stay recognizes the difficulties in watching someone you love experience pain and suffering, especially when there’s nothing you can do to take it away from them.

“I was watching someone that I love go through a very difficult time that inspired me to write this song,” explained Jordan. “If I could have, I would have taken their pain and experienced it for them if I could, but all that I could do was stay with them and hold them through it. I realized during this experience that sometimes, that is the most meaningful and difficult thing to do. Simply reassuring them that through all the chaos they’re experiencing, one thing they could rely on is that I would be with them. Always.”

It was in this sentiment that inspired Jordan’s concept for the lyric video. In the middle of a storm, he went to the water’s edge. The waves raging around him represent the chaos of a loved one’s experience. In the heart of that storm, he imagined looking into his loved one’s eyes and channeled all of his love and unwavering commitment to be there with them through it all.

“The first time I sang this song was at an intimate concert shortly after I wrote it. Following the show, a woman came up to me in tears and explained to me that she was a young mother of a daughter who had cystic fibrosis and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma,” Jordan recalls. “All that she had to offer was the presence of the mother. She couldn’t take the pain away, she couldn’t give her anything to help, all she could do was be there with her. She told me that this song gave her words to explain that experience in a way that she hadn’t had before, and through that, she was able to process it and grieve. This experience was one of the highlights of my musical career for me. It was greater than any award or accolade. It was a genuine human connection and an example that what we do as creatives is powerful and important.”

Review

Beginning with a sparse, twinkling beat, “Stay” features Jordan’s sweet, mellow vocals and gives the track a gentle, contemplative feel.

The opening line, “I see you try so hard, your eyes are full of stars,” paints a picture of someone who is striving for something greater but is struggling against the weight of the world.

The chorus of “I know there’s nothing I can do, I know there’s nothing I can say, but I’ll lay here in the dark with you, and if it helps you I will stay, I will always stay” is particularly poignant, with the singer acknowledging that they cannot fix the situation, but that they are willing to provide comfort and support in any way they can.

In essence, this track consists of beautifully crafted lyrics, a chilling mellow beat, and Jordan’s emotive vocals, which all do a wonderful job of pulling you in and relaying the message of empathy and understanding for the struggles we are facing.