Lisa Bastoni’s “Beautiful Girl” Champions Empathy (premiere)

Above all else, Lisa Bastoni’s How We Want to Live details her journey in delving further into the life that she wants to lead. Releasing on 20 September, the album often interweaves this overarching theme with details on the singer-songwriter’s relationships, whether they be romantic, friendly, or familial. Her latest single from the album, Bastoni’s “Beautiful Girl” is an ode to her daughter and a message that champions empathy. The heartening folk song is an ever-present reminder that kindness can be a strength. It is also sweetly delivered in the form of a lyric video featuring paintings and animation by Bastoni, as well.

Bastoni recalls, “There was a tweet by James Breakwell last year, about playing Dungeons and Dragons with his daughters. He said, ‘They were supposed to fight the wolves surrounding a town. Instead, they fed the wolves and turned them into a friendly wolf army. Girls, man. They’ll take over the world.'”

“I was thinking about that tweet as I was walking through the woods on a bike path near my house. I was thinking about the cruelty that exists in the world and thinking about my seven-year-old daughter and her innate kindness. She would definitely be on the team of making a friendly wolf army.”

“The song started with that image of a girl in the woods, with a knife, bread, and wild dogs. And then it just poured out — all the things I want my daughter to know. That she is loved, that the full range of feelings she has are valid. That there’s sometimes a difference between being kind and being nice. That it’s important to speak up for yourself. That there’s enough for everyone and that empathy is basically a superpower.”