The new single, “Your Mother was a Peacock,” by OXLIP, is a cinematic track, thematic to the mystical landscapes of Northern Ireland. This film score-like song filled with magic possesses a haunting story of what it’s like to be a woman in a male-dominated society, trying to escape to freedom.
OXLIP sets the opening scene through the narration of a trans-generational folktale. Her voice sets a chilling introduction to the song. Then, it carries the listener through the storytelling of a legend. “Your Mother was a Peacock” contains a stark sadness accented with sceneries of a cold forest and greenery.
“Your Mother was a Peacock” describes a woman with nothing to lose, surviving in a world created for the success of men. Yet, a woman who shines bright in color and has beautiful insight succeeds in her own way because she walks with strength and virtue. She lives and thrives despite the darkness that surrounds her. All she wants is freedom, and because a woman is always a prisoner in a male-dominated society, her existence was used as a scapegoat.
She describes the beautiful song below.
“It is written from the viewpoint of WWI dancer and courtesan Mata Hari. Sentenced to death for espionage, she sits in her prison cell the night before she is to be executed and writes a letter to her daughter: “Your mother was a peacock so soft her feathered hair/too beautiful and tender in a world ruled by men.” Before she dies, she wants to tell her daughter the truth about her life.”
Thus begins a story about a woman living to defy the shackles of society. This song should be passed down from generation to generation – making the song itself – a legend. Add “Your Mother is a Peacock” to your inspiration and feminist playlists!
Reviewed by Abeni Moreno
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