With a few hundred emails with new music coming in and out of my life daily, I’ve heard my fair share of songs inspired by the fear, the anxiety, and sadness that swept over the world since March 2020, but none have hit quite like “People That I Love” from the Canadian singer-songwriter Melissa Bel.
Perhaps it’s because she fails to try and be symbolic, and just lays her emotions on the table for all to see. “People That I Love” conjures actual imagery we don’t have to strain our minds to imagine. It’s the simplicity of the heart of this song that makes it stand out in a sea of reactionary tunes. This may be one person’s story during one of the toughest times in modern history where we had to separate ourselves from those we cared about for safety, but because we all went through it – this could be sung by so many around the world in unison. Why? Because frankly, who didn’t yearn for a hug mere months into sitting at home?
“People That I Love” just doesn’t hit the nail on the emotional head about how much we missed people during the lockdowns and quarantines but also notes how we collectively took so much for granted. We could have never guessed that meeting up for game nights, drinks, or even random encounters at the store would be so missed. They were though and Melissa Bel penned the ultimate anthem for that.
Those looking to belt out their emotions in a beautiful manner can check out “People That I Love” from Melissa Bel, out now on all major music and streaming platforms.
Written by Kendra Beltran
