The Emancipated Blooms Soundtrack
Some memories live in photographs. Some live quietly in our hearts.
And some live in music.
These songs carry pieces of my story—moments of survival, love, loss, and becoming.
Press play and step inside the journey.
The Stories Behind the Songs
These songs are woven through the chapters of my life—moments of survival, friendship, heartbreak, recovery, and love. Together, they form the soundtrack of the journey that became Emancipated Blooms.
Before I Was Born – My Mother’s Story
“Hurt” – Johnny Cash
Before I existed, pain already lived in the room. This song represents the weight my mother carried long before I arrived.
“Highway to Hell” – AC/DC
The reckless road of addiction and chaos that shaped the world I would be born into.
“Paranoid” – Black Sabbath
Fear and instability surrounded the earliest chapters of my life.
A Child Born Into Chaos
“Enter Sandman” – Metallica
I entered the world like a lullaby wrapped in nightmares.
Childhood & Early Separation
“Save Me” – Remy Zero
A quiet plea from a child who needed someone to see her.
“Bitter Sweet Symphony” – The Verve
Life moving forward whether I understood it or not.
“Hotel California” – Eagles
Six months living in the United States with an American family—strange and temporary.
“Mad World” – Gary Jules
The loneliness of seeing the world clearly too early.
“Losing My Religion” – R.E.M.
Growing up in chaos meant losing faith in the idea that life was supposed to feel safe.
“People Are Strange” – The Doors
The adults around me felt unpredictable and unsafe. My mother’s world made everything feel distorted.
“White Rabbit” – Jefferson Airplane
I escaped into Go Ask Alice. I read it over and over—not because it was safe, but because it felt familiar.
The Next Chapters of My Life
“Hold On” – Wilson Phillips
A message sent forward in time to the girl I would later become.
“14 Years” – Guns N’ Roses
Fourteen years in my mother’s home—love, chaos, confusion, and survival all tangled together.
“Runaway Train” – Soul Asylum
At fourteen, I escaped. Young, lost, and running from something unbearable.
“Streets of Philadelphia” – Bruce Springsteen
For a time, the streets became my home. Survival became the only plan.
“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” – Guns N’ Roses
A moment at fifteen suspended between fear and disbelief.
Friendship & Survival
“Something to Talk About” – Bonnie Rait
Singing with my soul sister Mandy—moments where laughter made us feel untouchable.
“Another Brick in the Wall” – Pink Floyd
My life documented in files that misunderstood my story—each one another brick.
“No Rain” – Blind Melon
For my soul sister Dawn—gentle, searching, and vibrant.
Feeling Misunderstood
"What It's Like" — Everlast
Walking through life carrying a story others couldn’t see.
“Heathens” – Twenty One Pilots
Before recovery, chaos felt normal and everyone carried hidden battles.
The Turning Point
“Running Up That Hill” – Kate Bush
The moment I told the truth in a counselor’s office—terrified, but opening the door to healing.
Entering Recovery
“The Sound of Silence” – Disturbed
Facing the truth in the quiet.
“Tubthumping” – Chumbawamba
Laughter, chores, connection—the first taste of hope.
Love and Loss
“3AM” – Matchbox Twenty
A reflection of my relationship with Brad.
“Make You Feel My Love” – Adele
The love we shared before addiction took him after we lost our baby.
Relationships & Growth
“Hurts So Good” – John Mellencamp
A trauma bond disguised as love in my first marriage.
“You’ll Be In My Heart” – Phil Collins
For my son—the love that reshaped my life.
“You Say” – Lauren Daigle
My best friend helped me believe I was loved by God.
“Come Away With Me” – Norah Jones
A second marriage built on escape.
"Butterfly Kisses"—Bob Carlisle
For my daughter—a reflection of a father’s love that never disappears.
Reclaiming Myself
“Fkin’ Perfect” – P!nk
Rediscovering myself after two divorces.
Grief
“Ain’t No Sunshine” – Bill Withers
I played it daily before she passed—like my heart already knew.
Falling and Rising Again
“Just Like a Pill” – P!nk
My relapse.
“Sober” – P!nk
My return.
“Not Afraid” – Eminem
Standing up again in recovery.
Legacy
“Simple Man” – Shinedown
For my son—the life lessons I hope he carries.
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses
For my daughter—my fierce, beautiful light.
“I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack
For both my children—courage, joy, and a full life.
Recovery Family
“Shallow” – Lady Gaga
The depth of connection in recovery.
“Home” – Phillip Phillips
Finding belonging.
“Stand By Me” – Ben E. King
For those who stood beside me—and those I now stand beside.
“See You Again” – Wiz Khalifa
For the ones I’ve lost—love that never ends.
“Unwritten” – Natasha Bedingfield
For the chapters still ahead.
✨ These songs held me when I didn’t yet know how to hold myself.
Now, they remind me how far I’ve come—and how brightly I bloom.