Passenger | To Be Free (Official Video)

‘London In The Spring' -

Directed by Jarrad Seng
Choreographed and performed by Emily Kikta

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[passengermusic]

Hey guys !

We have a really special song and video for you today - special for me at least …. For a number of reasons ….

The song is called “to be free” and it tells the story of my dad and his family .

Ziggy (my grandad) was German and Molly (my grandmother) was polish .

They were both jewish and living in Germany when the second world war was about to begin .

Luckily they managed to escape to a refugee camp in France where they spent the duration of the war .

Once the war was over they, like so many other jewish refugees, left Europe for America .

They ended up running a chicken farm in New Jersey in a town called Vineland which is where my dad and his siblings grew up . Needless to say with very little money and so much trauma it was an extremely difficult childhood for them .

My dad left Vineland as a teenager and went on to travel the world before finally ending up in England .

As I was growing up I heard snippets about their ordeal although understandably it wasn’t something that people wanted to talk about in any detail . Over the years I’ve pieced together a rough idea of what they went through and just how appalling and terribly sad the whole thing was .

Its something that I never thought I’d write a song about . Its such a delicate story that subconsciously I feel I’ve always steered clear of telling it .

However, whilst on holiday towards the end of last year I picked up my guitar and started playing . These lyrics came to me and all of a sudden I realised what song I was writing .

Im not ashamed to say that I wrote and sang and cried as the song tumbled out of me . I’ve never had an experience like it . It came from such a deep place and it was a bizarre feeling to be pulling it out and putting it in to a song .

For the video, it felt only write that we go back to New Jersey to film it .

We chose a little beach town called Avalon . Its a place that I went to many times as I was growing up as my aunt and uncle owned a little beach house there . I hadn’t been there in over ten years and honestly I didn’t have much of an idea of what the video should be - I just felt like it was the right place .

A few days before filming it we were in New York and hanging out with Emily - a friend of Jarrad Seng photography who happens to be a world class ballet dancer (as you will see) we told her our plans (or lack there of) and she unbelievably kindly offered to choreograph something . I can’t thank her enough . Not only did she give up her time, drive over to Avalon and dance on a freezing cold beach for hours but she managed to portray such beauty and somehow capture the essence of the song perfectly . An unbelievable talent and a kindness that I will never forget . Thank you Emily xxx

I’d like to dedicate this song and video to anybody who has gone through or is going through a similar situation . For anyone that has been displaced . For anyone living in a new country, learning new customs and language .

America, like so many other countries, was built on immigration . Never has it been so important to remember and celebrate this fact .

Thank you for your time and I really hope you enjoy the video .

Mike x

p.s a massive thanks as always to Jarrad Seng . What an incredible job to capture this in one take ….. unbelievable !!

[savabout]

This is so relatable for anyone who has immigrant ancestors. My grandparents left war-torn Northern Greece after the Second World War. When my Papou(grandfather) arrived in New York, he didn't know any English; he had only a second-grade education because he was a shepherd. He arrived in New York and took a train to Ohio, where his Uncle, who sponsored him, lived. He asked the conductor, "Mansfield?" at every stop from New York to Ohio because he was terrified he would miss his stop.

He worked at a Coney Island and thought he had the greatest job on earth. No snakes crawling up your pants, no German tanks rolling through town, militias burning down your village or killing your family.

[AamilahDawood]

She dances every step for a reason. Some get washed away by the ocean that is bigger then her, but others are imprinted in the sand far from the reach of waves staying forever. Nevertheless she dances not bothered whether she leaves a mark or not. but simply cause she loves it. This is the way life should be lived .

[mattthompson]

A modern day poet whose honesty speaks to the souls of anyone willing to listen. Thank God for Passenger and his messages. Beautiful in the richest sense. ❤

[anna-uoug]

"Searching for a place to be free"
-the story of all refugees that left their broken homes swiming in the oceans and and finally reach to the other side of the beach at last they are free :')
They didn't Die from the water but from the coldness and cruelness of the world
At least they are free from it, in a better place above the skies
Remember this story for the seek of humanity

[rdeep]

His lyrics just dive into your soul and comes out as a tears...amazing voice!!!!

[Frenchy]

Discovered this song today on my run, what a gem😱I love it when singers share there stories with us and let us in to their intimacy, thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us😁

[GoodxJ]

We are all but Passengers on this ride called life!

Peace + Blessings to all.

[rinpuiapachuau]

The Folk music of Passenger helped me through my dark times.

[Brianful]

No one could deliver a song like this as beautiful and as sensitivity as Passenger. Great work.

[mr_mahmoudqoqazeh]

i love you Passenger, , You are the greatest singer alive 🖤🖤

[MrOpticzZ-]

This man is so underrated, he should be known because of how he is so inspirational

[rebeccaswilling]

Just simply a pure golden voice! I love all that he sings

[shivamam]

thats the dream!
to be free and dance without caring about anybody or anything.

[andreav]

I can't possibly have a favourite Passenger song because they're all so extraordinary, but if I HAD to choose...This is so...everything a song should be - an emotional story told so beautifully through music <3

[hodaahmed]

The level of honesty in your music mike is just incredible <3 . It always gives me chills

[roderickalan]

Incredible. I know it's too easy to blow smoke up peoples arses. Especially when they're musicians and that jazz but of all the music I've ever listened to of all the genres I've gotten into, your music as a whole grips me. Each and every single time.

This track has become one of my favourites of yours in less than a complete play through.

Your lyrics are perfect and I don't know another artist that could even come close to doing justice to the meaning behind this song.

Inspirational mate.

[Eliya]

Perhaps the only singer in the world whose voice penetrates deep into our souls and names them ❤❤❤
continue to surprise us with amazing songs and heavenly music 🎼🎼🎼

[michaelarthur]

I have listened to alot of music and lots of musician but his voice is just Magical 🧙‍♂️ So unique. 🤗

[milamusic]

Ohh.. no words .. This song is just beautiful... and so pieceful!! The lyrics are so sad but it happened to my grandparents too. Love you Mike xxx❤❤