Emotional processing through songwriting

This reflective report deals with emotional processing through songwriting. It’s a part of my Professional Integration Project that evolves around songs that I wrote during my studies at Iceland University of the Arts, two concerts were the songs were shared and an older song of mine that was record...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ingunn Huld Sævarsdóttir 1983-
Other Authors: Listaháskóli Íslands
Format: Report
Language:English
Published: 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1946/31106
Description
Summary:This reflective report deals with emotional processing through songwriting. It’s a part of my Professional Integration Project that evolves around songs that I wrote during my studies at Iceland University of the Arts, two concerts were the songs were shared and an older song of mine that was recorded and released along with a music video. In this report I go over the methods I used in the songwriting process. Since some of the songs were written as I was emotionally processing a miscarriage I explore the field of therapeutic songwriting as well as songs by other singer-songwriters that I would consider written through emotional processing. I also specifically explore songs about pregnancy and miscarriage by a few female singer-songwriters. I reveal my background and reasons for songwriting and sharing songs and briefly how it connects with the tradition of the singer-songwriter. Some of the songs were written as I was processing positive emotions or as a means to encourage people, so I go through that as well as mentioning how that relates to the term pep-pop. Other songs are written in spontaneous and experimental ways and are also mentioned. The methods I used while writing this report have been exploring the subject in books, on the internet, in music by others as well as in my own work and journals. I also interviewed an Icelandic singer-songwriter that uses emotional processing in songwriting. The physical experience of pregnancy is a nine months reality for many women and it’s interesting why women haven’t written more songs on the subject and allowed themselves to portray a reality that distinguishes them from men. To get information on more songs by Icelandic women on the subject of pregnancy and miscarriage I asked for information in a group on Facebook for female musicians in Iceland. I did not find many songs or lyrics on the topic but this seems to be a subject that sometimes is too personal to be shared or if shared, it’s hidden in poetry and not easy to interpret. I would not be surprised if there ...