"In such a time/They speak for life/Showcase love/Putting up a fight," the voice sings. "Bombs dropped all day and all night/But, one day they’ll smile in the sunshine."
The lyrics belong to Love N’Co.’s “Cease,” a new single that the band expects to release in the next few months. Recorded at the Palestine Museum U.S. in Woodbridge, the song adds New Haven voices to the global call for a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel’s campaign of indiscriminate bombing has left over 36,000 civilians dead.
In the course of a single song, the band captures both the weight of the moment and the need to hold onto joy in a world turned on its head. In this way, “Cease” acts as a storyteller, explaining the past eight months of conflict through art that helps listeners feel seen and heard within the music.
“I wanted to keep it upbeat,” said Lovelind, after whom the band is named. “But I also was trying to hold a place for not only the joy but also the grief, I was worried that the upbeat tone might dismiss the grief so many have been feeling.”
The journey to “Cease” began last October, when the idea for the song came during an “emotional outburst,” Lovelind said. During that time, the singer/songwriter had been watching Israel’s military response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and took 240 people hostage. By Oct. 8, Israel had declared war, with an invasion of Gaza that began later that month and is still ongoing.
Lovelind found themselves seeking out communal conversation. It was a need among many of their peers too, they noticed—people wanted to talk about what was happening and to learn more about the longstanding conflict and colonialism in the Middle East.
Lovelind began writing last December, as the Israel-Hamas War passed the two-month mark with no sign of a ceasefire agreement. While the writing process began with simply getting thoughts onto a page, it developed into a group project.
Lovelind would send the lyrics to people they knew could be honest with them, asking for feedback and constructive criticism. They wanted to make sure the lyrics left space for any and all emotions that listeners felt towards the Israel-Hamas War, they said. “Cease” was produced with overwhelming amounts of emotion, but also wouldn’t have been possible without Love N’ Co’s trusted community, they said.
The passion and care that has gone into “Cease” is evident. Verses often highlight the band's variety of instruments, including multiple guitars, piano, drums, bass, and percussion. “Ain’t they people after all/ See how they love life/ Can’t you hear them call/ From the river to the sea,” Lovelind sings, and the song suddenly thrusts itself into public discourse.
“Ain’t they people after all/ Not just numbers. families/ Can’t you hear them call/ Palestine will be free,” they sing again in the second half of the song. While it is the same chorus, the song’s emotional impact differs. As Lovelind begins singing the chorus for the second time, the song sounds almost like a chant, and their tone holds a slight growl, emphasizing the lyrics further.
As the group continues to focus “Cease” around community action, Lovelind said they plan to ask people to submit audio recordings of the song’s chorus via Instagram (follow the band on Instagram at @lovenco.music for more information on this). That addition, the artist explained, brings together people of all backgrounds and makes “Cease” into an artwork that is, at its core, about unity.
“There’s something freeing in art and freeing in music. And within that music, I’m also freeing myself,” Lovelind said. They added that if they’re writing it down and it’s something someone else can resonate with, it’s always their instinct to release it because their goal is always to help someone feel seen and related to.
Love N’Co’s bass guitarist Lamar Smith agreed that doing the issue justice was nerve-racking,
“We were trying to find a way to talk about such a heavy polarizing thing,” Smith said. “But we also wanted it to sound hopeful, I’m proud of us because we stuck to our beliefs through it all.”
Smith added that the band wanted “Cease” to be hopeful because the community of New Haven needs hope in order to continue fighting for a more peaceful future. For him and for other members of the band, that looks like a free Palestine. Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War, 142 of the United Nations’ 193 member states have recognized Palestine as a state.
“You can go on social media and constantly be reminded of the grief,” Smith said, “But where are you being reminded of the hope and of the humanity, that’s what 'Cease' helps bring.”
When asked what his favorite lyric from “Cease” is, Smith said, “Ain’t they people after all, can’t you see they’re loving life” really speaks to him because it calls on the humanity of everyone who is in the middle of so much violence.
“It calls on the humanity of individuals and also signifies the bringing together of all people,” Smith said. He added that it’s important to remember a common and shared humanity that unites people. In regards to the Palestinian people, it reminds people that they are human just like anyone else, and their internal love and hope still deserve recognition.
The two added that they hope the song helps bring hope to New Haven. They both believe that the name “New Haven” has a responsibility to help its residents feel safe and secure, providing a healthy foundation for hopeful community members.
“Without hope we have nothing,” Lovelind said. Without hope, they added, there may be no room to take action on a global scale—because resistance and protests have to start in the form of hope.
“Love is action,” Smith added.
Photo courtesy of Love N' Co'. Grayce Howe is the Arts Paper's 2024 New Haven Academy intern. The New Haven Academy internship is a program for NHA juniors that pairs them with a professional in a field that is interesting to them. She plans to continue writing with the Arts Paper over the summer.