It’s a harsh reality to discover that when the worst happens, the world carries on, whether that’s the loss of a loved one or some personal distress, it seems so unfair. With new single ‘Off’, French singer-songwriter Clara Quilichini asks listeners to consider that feeling of injustice and apply that to the incomprehensible suffering of children trapped in war zones across the world. Having witnessed firsthand the devastation of conflict while travelling abroad, this experience left a deep, lasting and life-changing impression on Clara. Evidently, she felt that she had to do something, say something, stand up for those innocent victims. As a songwriter, she was drawn to her guitar where she penned a sensitive arrangement that beautifully translates her emotions of sadness and desperation.

Joining those soft pop-folk strings are soaring violins and her stunning vocal, which she uses to question this obvious imbalance: “How do you rise when little ones are falling? And how do you try with fathers surrendering? It gets a little tough to think that love’s enough in this world where something’s off.” The song’s most tear-jerking moment arrives at the 2:40 minute mark with the arrival of a children’s choir, whose sweet performance is yet another reminder of just how blameless these young ones are. Men and women choristers later add their voices to the fray to emphasise the deep human connection across all people, because that should be the ultimate message here: we are all people deserving of a happy and safe existence.

“I couldn’t understand how the world was still spinning. Life around me was continuing as normal, but I felt like everything should have stopped. I felt powerless, appalled.I couldn’t change what was happening, but I could write about it. ”

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