Things I choose to keep…

American-Austrian composer and pianist, Dalal, composed and recorded a deeply personal solo piano album - a heartfelt tribute to the memory of her late mother. The project was conceived during a time of immense sorrow, after Dalal's mother tragically passed away shortly before she was scheduled to begin working on this musical endeavor.

The artist finds touching words for these dark days: “The last two years have been filled with heartbreak, loss, and the kind of sadness that slowly peels the skin of your bones, like a monster. In my heart I lost so many things that were supposed to be immortal. I felt battleworn, fearing myself flailing about in my attempt to find a noble way forward." 

The loss, while monumental, became the catalyst for a deeply personal transformation. In the midst of heartache, Dalal turned to music and channelled her emotions into this project, crafting a collection of reflective and poignant piano pieces. Each track is a heartfelt reflection of her journey through loss and grief, featuring tender melodies and soulful piano playing, most of them inspired by important memories from the past - places, events, impressions of deep personal meaning. For Dalal music became a sanctuary, allowing for moments of reflection and the opportunity to turn sorrow into something beautiful - the artist shares: "Music became my place to land, a way to sit with my ruins for a chance to shape them into something beautiful." 

More than just a collection of songs, this project can be seen as an exercise in hope, a reminder that despite the overwhelming darkness, there can still be space for creativity and imagination - and in the end healing. In this sense the artist concludes: "For me, more than anything, this album is an exercise in faith, a belief that somehow I’m still here, that maybe I still have a little space to imagine, to hope, and to create something". With her album Dalal invites us to share in her journey, showing us how the human spirit can endure and find strength in the act of creation, even in the face of profound grief.