Songs about overcoming adversity: ‘Intangible’ by Amy Montgomery.

Belfast-based Irish songstress Amy Montgomery lost her mother to suicide at the age of 16. It’s fair to say shock, disbelief and emotional numbness touched every fibre of her being, forever changing her relationship with her mother and subsequently her understanding of healing.

While music had always felt cathartic to Montgomery, she seemingly never really knew how powerful it could be until after the tragic loss of her mother. As a gifted young singer-songwriter, Montgomery decided to channel her grief into music. In 2019, combining her powerful vocals and talents on both guitar and keyboards, Montgomery released her wonderful debut single Dangerous. It was followed by two more singles, Constitution and the moody atmospheric Tree Song (Branch Out & Nourish My Veins), which the latter incidentally earned her a songwriting nomination in the Northern Irish Music Prize.

Interestingly, the second half of 2020 continues to see Montgomery mature and evolve as a person with arguably her finest single yet in Intangible. It successfully in many ways continues on with the theme of healing.

“Intangible was written on a boat as I contemplated the cyclical rhythm of nature, and how even death is just another necessary part of the circle that we call life, says Montgomery. “Intangible is about making peace with the loss or absence of a loved one. It is finding joy in experiencing their presence through a beautiful sunset or a flowing river. It is about the process. It is a celebration of life.”

The accompanying music video in itself is also a wonderful expression of release which helps bring further meaning to Montgomery’s lyrics.

“The true beauty of this video encapsulates the mystique of life itself, whilst acknowledging how we, humans can’t help but hold memories in our hearts and our minds,” Montgomery told The Music. “The significance of butterflies represents growth and the unquestionable struggle that is faced before we can fly, while the shadows paint an image of the thoughts or ‘intruders’ that can restrain us. The aesthetic of the video has an earthy, handmade feel which is something that we aimed for!”