If you haven’t heard of Sunset Capone, let his March 4, 2022 release titled “Hopeless Eyes” be where you start. The song is a connection to those we have lost too soon due to their own depression. Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States with over 45,000 suicides in the year 2020. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741. You are not alone.
“Hopeless Eyes” actually opens with a line about trying to save everybody but knowing they can’t before the hook “do you know what it’s like to see the world through hopeless eyes?” which is softly sung compared to the verses of the song. With the hook are beautiful instrumentals that just echo and reinforce the sadness that this song is – the loss and pain that can consume us.
I believe that we are often so wrapped up in ourselves, our own lives, that we miss out on the signs that someone we love is struggling. After all, hindsight is 20-20 and we see the signs we missed after the unthinkable has already happened and I feel like this song tells that side of the story to a degree, as well. That hook where we are asked if we know what it’s like to see the world through hopeless eyes gets me because, honestly, we almost all have hit that level of hopelessness at some point in our lives – that point where we feel like there’s nothing left.
When all is said and done, as hard as it is, reach out to someone. It always gets better. I really enjoyed this song and how it has made me think. I hope you like it and it can resonate and let you know that you’re not alone, too. Don’t forget to follow Sunset Capone on his socials, linked below.
Q&A with Sunset Capone
Q: “Hopeless Eyes” is an interesting mix. What was the inspiration behind it?
SUNSET CAPONE: “Hopeless Eyes” stems from experiences where multiple close ones have died by suicide, including a best friend, an uncle, and a coworker. Throughout time, this takes an emotional toll on you. The song looks to connect with others who have experienced similar trauma and to let those who’ve made it through these horrific events know they’re not alone.
Q: What was the creative process like? Was it any different than your usual process?
SC: This and the remaining songs off the Sadly Happy EP were entirely different from my normal writing process. Normally, I wouldn’t purchase beats from someone else, knowing I can produce myself. But when I heard the beats produced by V-E Beats, they resonated so strongly that I couldn’t resist. Aside from purchasing the beat, my process was the same. I imagine how a beat makes me feel. I hum melodies similar to that feeling. Then, I write to the concept of that feeling.
Q: What got you started with music?
SC: I was always around producers and rappers when I was younger. My brother ran a studio and was part of a popular local rap group. I used to look over his producer’s shoulder and watch him engineer masterpieces with subpar equipment. I didn’t want to get into music but as I left high school, some people convinced me at my job that I might have a talent when I played piano in front of them.
Q: Who would you love to collaborate with?
SC: Millyz, Jadakiss, Oliver Francis, Post Malone, Eminem, 50 Cent, and countless other artists (but I’m too poor to afford any of them haha).
Q: What has been the biggest highlight of your music career?
SC: Believe it or not, doing a huge rock show with my band with a lot of mainstream names in Upstate NY was the highlight of my entire musical career. I do music of all types but this was the closest taste I’ve got to the big stage and the mainstream life.
Q: If you could meet any artist from any time, who would it be and why?
SC: I would want to sit down for an hour-long conversation with either Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington, Lil Peep, or DMX. I would want to hear their stories from their mouth and not other people’s. There’s so many things that other people say about these artists and nowadays, it’s hard to tell what’s true and what isn’t.
Reviewed & Interviewed by Dana L. Sullivan
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