Folk Singer-Songwriter Erika Kulnys Courageously Speaks Out Against Domestic Violence on New Single “Black Swan”
Singer-songwriter Erika Kulnys’ new single “Black Swan” is aching and melancholy, with introspective guitar and deeply heartfelt vocals that go beyond typical grief or sadness.
The song was written after an abusive relationship, one in which Kulnys suffered physical and emotional abuse. “It’s about reckoning with despair and finding the dawn after the long night,” she says.
The song was written and recorded over the course of not only a metaphorical journey but an actual one. Kulnys began writing “Black Swan” at the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival and then finished it after finally leaving the relationship while traveling in the north of Ireland. She then recorded it in Habana Cuba at EGREM studios and Silvio Rodriguez’s Ojalá studio. The second guitar part is by Manuel Alejandro Vaillant, who she met while living in Cuba.
The song touches on the larger theme of her album Stand Together. Stand Together is about empowerment and solidarity, and Erika hopes this song raises awareness about same-sex abuse, a subject that’s still taboo and remains largely untouched by the media. There are still significant barriers to lesbians seeking help. Lesbians often do not report abuse to police for fear of prejudice, and in many places, the law fails to protect same-sex partners. Police often assume the abuse is mutual and are more likely to arrest both members of the couple. Women’s shelters and organizations may not be open to serving lesbians.
“Black Swan” captures a very harrowing point in Erika’s life, and the healing continues.
“The abuse, and leaving, was incredibly hard,” she says. “I haven’t been the same since, but I have learned a lot about discernment, and boundaries, and I am more prudent in giving my trust and my heart.” She adds, “May all people be respected and may women and trans people find the strength to leave abusive situations and develop good self-esteem and self-respect.”
Hi Erika! Good to see you again! What have you been up to since we last spoke? Care to introduce yourself to the new readers?
Hi Canadian Beats! I am a singer-songwriter from Mi’kma’ki who has lived in 23 countries and worked in music for many years. I care about raising people’s awareness of themselves and the planet. I believe music is a powerful inspirational tool for social change and that music illuminates that which previously has been unseen. Through music, we often come to the truth.
I have been in the perpetual cycle of writing a lot and not writing at all and wondering if it will ever come back. I wrote a lot of love songs and played them all over Europe. I bought recording equipment and hope to learn how to make pop music soon.
“Black Swan” is deeply personal and emotional. Can you share the story behind its creation and what inspired you to write it?
There was a pond in Cork where I used to go to look at the swans and have a cup of tea, often as a respite from my abusive relationship. I started the song by likening my love to a black swan at the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival, where I was struggling to keep my head above water, after experiencing intense physical abuse.
How did your experiences at the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival and your travels in Northern Ireland influence the songwriting process for “Black Swan”?
I just had a few lines and finished it at the Acoustic Yard Festival in Westport with fellow performer Sarah Passmore. She helped me find my voice again after being silenced by violence, and so Black Swan broke through my pain and allowed me to translate it into beauty.
What was the recording experience like in Habana, Cuba, and how did collaborating with Manuel Alejandro Vaillant shape the final version of the song?
Here is a video of us rehearsing. Alejandro and I started playing together and organically came up with the guitar parts. He is such a sensitive player and his nuanced playing really adds a lot to the song.
What message do you want to convey to listeners who may be going through similar experiences of abuse?
I want to convey that the sun will rise and you will find the power to leave your abuser and love yourself again.