Brodie Christ has a new single “16 & 9 Lives” that questions the stories we inherit, repeat and use to define ourselves.
Toronto songwriter Brodie Christ’s new song “16 & 9 Lives” is an uplifting and defiant alternative Canadian single. It questions the things we tell ourselves, the things that define us and how we are not bound permanently to those versions of us.
The song has a warm acoustic instrumentation, conversational lyricism, and a reflective country-tinged sound. It explorations memory, identity, and freedom.
At its core, the song examines the unreliable narratives we create about our own past. Brodie explains it this way:
Your memories betray you. You were not as kind, as cool, as embarrassing, as wild, or as ugly as you thought you were.
The song was born after an unexpected moment of reflection at Brodie’s high school reunion, as he returned to a place filled with old stories and familiar faces. He shares:
Stories were recounted to me over that weekend – some flattering, some embarrassing, some prideful. All of them were lies, or at best exaggerations. I decided I wasn’t interested in being defined by any of it, and it was incredibly liberating.
The title “16 & 9 Lives” represents the many versions of ourselves that we carry as life goes on. 16 represents a specific moment in time when memories can become deeply tied to identity. On the other hand, 9 symbolizes the countless different versions of ourselves we experience along the way.
I’ve had at least 9 lives and am hoping for 9 more. The number isn’t important, but the idea that you aren’t tethered to any of them.
The session features Steve Dawson on guitar and pedal steel, Steve O’Connor on keyboards, John Dymond on bass, and Gary Craig on drums.
Brodie Christ – whose surname rhymes with wrist – is a Toronto indie rocker that finds himself reckoning with the past, embracing complexity, and trying to be a better person, regardless of the state of the world.
His recent songs arrived in the light of huge life changes: his father passed away, his daughter was born, and he developed some persistent health issues, which led to significant lifestyle changes. His approach with song writing has ripened with age, he says.
I used to think of the songs as an outlet, a means to share emotions I couldn’t express in my everyday life. But now, I need to really feel and communicate these everyday feelings as they come up, no matter how difficult. The songs can tackle bigger things.
Brodie Christ’s “16 & 9 Lives” is available in all streaming platforms.
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