Erin Kelly is a 16-year-old from Lynbrook. She has been surrounded by music for her whole life. She has been in over 15 musical productions and takes private music lessons every weekend with an industry professional in New York City. In her free time, Erin enjoys writing both poetry and songs, as well as practicing musical instruments. She discusses the the bond she shared over music with her ailing uncle.
Q: Could you give a rundown of what happened to your uncle?
A: My uncle was in and out of the hospital a lot, and he wasn’t well. Then, the last time when he went to the hospital we knew it was probably not going to go well. We spent a weekend visiting my sister in college, and then my mom suggested we go visit my uncle. He was very sick. He was nonverbal. Well, he could speak, but he didn’t know what was going on and was very confused. It was very emotional because we were close.
Q: What inspired you to use music to communicate with your uncle?
A: Since I was born, my family and I would go to his house in New Hampshire. He would let us visit, and when we would have the house for the weekend, there was no Wi-Fi or data. He had a CD player and a bunch of CDs, and we memorized a few songs because we played them over and over again. My whole family was familiar with the music, and my dad and I were like, let’s do something that will make him happy. So, we turned on the song “Honeycomb” by Jimmy Rogers. We were all singing it and didn’t expect anything from it. Then he started to sing along, and it was very wholesome. It makes me feel that music has a way of bringing people together, especially during hard times.
Q: What was the specific moment you realized music was truly helping you connect with your uncle?
A: [It was] when he began singing along. I was crying, and my cousin and I were hugging. It was a kind of closure and helped us accept that his life was coming to an end and also celebrate it.
Q: How did the experience change the way you view music?
A: I’ve always connected with music. Since a very young age, music has been a big way I can express my strong emotions. It’s always been very therapeutic to me. But this moment showed me music can be helpful to get through processes too. It helped me get through the process of mourning his death. Also, I felt like I could only really connect with music with strong emotions when I was by myself. This showed me that I could connect with those strong emotions and do it with other people as well.
Q: How else has music connected you to others and influenced your life?
A: I feel like when nobody understands me, using music to release my emotions has helped me feel understood. I am a very emotional person and take things to heart a lot, so music really helps me figure out how I can express myself. It also, to be honest, helps a lot going out with guys. It makes a guy look more attractive in my eyes if we can bond over music and have similar taste…or at parties, having the music fit the vibe. Or when I’m upset, having music to fit whatever feeling. I feel it just helps people become closer and only makes the bonds I have with the people I love stronger.
Find the related article here:
