Sharon Van Etten returns today with a new song called “Porta”, a powerful track to ward away the gloom. She reveals:
“[“Porta” was written in 2020] at one of my lowest lows. For most of my adult life I have struggled with bouts of depression and anxiety and coping mechanisms, and I sometimes let those dark moments get the best of me. During this time I felt very dissociated. Not connected to my body and I felt out of control…
After some transformative counselling, she found a way through her fears: “My message is to work through them. Even when it’s hard. Even when it hurts. Reach out. Reach out to that friend who helps you reach out towards yourself.”
Although “Porta” was written at the low ebb of her mental health, the final version resounds with the vivacity of someone who is fighting back, who knows who they are and what they want. Programmed drums underscore the synth-led anthem, and SVE glides into this hovering anthem with purpose: “I wanna be myself / wanna be there,” she states. The declarations only get more maximal as she goes: “I wanna live my life / but you won’t allow” she affirms as guitars thunder through the song and she reaches for a higher register, cutting through the storm with sheer determination. Her fear is evident throughout, but so is her sheer vitality: “stay out of my life” she repeats at the end – there’s only one winner in this battle.
Watch the video for “Porta” below or listen to it on streaming platforms.
“Porta” is out on Jagjaguwar. You can find Sharon Van Etten on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
She recently announced The Wild Hearts tour with Angel Olsen and Julien Baker, but she’s also revealed a bunch of UK and EU dates. The full list is:
Wed. Mar. 2 – Sat. Mar. 5 – Cancún, MX @ One Big Holiday !
Thu. Apr. 21 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Jefferson Theatre ~
Fri. Apr. 22 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom ~
Sat. Apr. 23 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse ~
Sun. Apr. 24 – Charleston, SC @ High Water Music Festival
Tue. May 31 – Lisbon, PT @ Aula Magna ^#
Thu. Jun. 2 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
Sun. Jun. 5 – München, DE @ Muffathalle ^%
Mon. Jun. 6 – Antwerp, BE @ Openluchttheater Rivierenhof ^%
Tue. Jun. 7 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle ^%
Thu. Jun. 9 – Oslo, NE @ Loaded &
Fri. Jun. 10 – Stockholm, SE @ Rosendal, Djurgarden &
Sat. Jun. 11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Syd For Solen &
Mon. Jun. 13 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol ^%
Tue. Jun. 14 – Utrecht, NE @ TivoliVredenberg Grote Zaal ^%
Wed. Jun. 15 – Paris, FR @ La Cigale ^%
Fri. Jun. 17 – London, UK @ O2 Brixton Academy ^%
Sat. Jun. 18 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute ^%
Sun. Jun. 19 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy Leeds ^%
Tue. Jun. 21 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland ^%
Wed. Jun. 22 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street ^%
Thu. Jul. 21 – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap Center For the Performing Arts *
Fri. Jul. 22 – Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit *
Sat. Jul. 23 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium *
Mon. Jul. 25 – Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater *
Thu. Jul. 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre *
Fri. Jul. 29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre *
Sat. Jul 30 – Berkeley, Ca @ Greek Theatre *
Tu. Aug. 2 – Troutdale, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater *
Wed. Aug. 3 – Redmond, WA @ Marymoor Amphitheater *
Fri. Aug. 5 – Boise, ID @ Idaho Botanical Garden *
Sat. Aug. 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA *
Sun. Aug. 7 – Denver, CO @ Sculpture Park *
Tue. Aug. 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ Surly Brewing Festival Field *
Wed. Aug 10 – Chicago, IL @ TBA *
Thu. Aug. 11 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe *
Fri. Aug. 12 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall *
Sat. Aug. 13 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall *
Mon. Aug. 15 – Shelburne, VT @ The Green at Shelburne Museum *
Tue. Aug. 16 – LaFayette, NY @ Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards *
Thu. Aug. 18 – Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion *
Fri. Aug. 19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Skyline Stage at The Mann *
Sun. Aug. 21 – New York, NY @ Central Park Summerstage *
! = with My Morning Jacket
~ = with Mia Joy
& = with The National
^ = Darkness Fades Tour
# = with The Weather Station
% = with L’Rain
* = The Wild Hearts Tour with Angel Olsen, Julien Baker, & Spencer.
