Ferera Swan is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter who uses her own life experiences as inspiration to her music. As a child of adoption and an advocate for other children of adoption, Ferera hopes to shine a light on the parts of the industry that live in the shadows, such as grief, seperation, reunion, shame, secrecy, and generational trauma. Ferera has been reclaiming her own identity as a Filipino-American and has changed her name to reflect her heritage and culture. Ferera Swan is a beacon of light to those who are going through and have gone through closed adoptions from other countries. In her new single, “To Say Goodbye,” she doesn’t shy away from any of the pain and darkness. This alternative pop song has a Kelly Clarkson meets Rachel Platton style to it with vocals like Sarah McLaughlin. The music is just as moving as the lyrics. The two are symbiotic and neither would work without the other. She sings “Tell me how to say goodbye to the one who was supposed to love you.”
“Adoptee grief is largely misunderstood by those outside of this life experience. We grieve our mothers, families, our roots. I believe it’s in allowing ourselves to hold grief and gratitude simultaneously—the integration of both—where we can truly discover healing. The lyrics in the chorus of “To Say Goodbye” is intended to be more of a rhetorical question, but more of an invitation to explore this kind of ambiguous loss. After struggling for most of my life asking myself, how do I let go of my mother? I’ve realized: I don’t. With certain kinds of loss, perhaps it’s not about letting go, but about looking in, finding the courage to sit with our pain, being changed by what it tells us, and experiencing the healing that will come as a result of that act of self-love and bravery.”
Ferera Swan wrote her first song at age 10, after finding out she was adopted, pouring her unanswered questions and thoughts into music. Since then, she lets those feelings and new ones emerge through her work, shining a light on adoptee grief. “Some of our greatest gifts can be found in our deepest pain,” she says. “Through allowing myself to explore what hurts, I’ve found purpose, self-compassion, and the meaning of courage.” You can connect with Ferera Swan via the following links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | SoundCloud | YouTube
