As a twenty-eight year old, I can unequivocally say I still act like a toddler. From dancing with the dogs, Cauli and Basil, to singing about cheese on toast, that inner childishness wreaks havoc throughout most of the day. Maybe it’s due to the fact I had a terrible upbringing, and living in an abusive house moulded the person I am today. As I look out the window, rain dripping on the roof tiles, I can wholeheartedly say I forgive the ones who hurt five-year-old Daniel. Unconscious Happiness is the latest single by Dutch soul artist Kymara, a song about the freedom and happiness most felt as a kid.
Present-day Daniel connects with Unconscious Happiness so much. Kymara sings about her childhood with such unbridled love for her parents, a freeness to express emotion, and the creativity and imagination of an infant’s mind. Throughout the song, her voice hits tumultuous highs, and intriguing lows in a Janis Joplin-esque storytelling style, as a longing for memories of the past unravel.
Inspired by the music Kymara listened to growing up, such as Al Green, Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, and Donny Hathaway, Unconscious Happiness is a nod to her younger self. As the weather clears up, I look out of the window once more, and feel grateful for what I have, and not what I lost. Yes, it was a horrible time of my life, but Unconscious Happiness is about expressing your feelings. And for that, I thank Kymara.
