‘My energy comes from optimism’: the hopeful music of spring 2021

In part two of our series on the musicians foregrounding hope in their songs, Esperanza Spalding, Rostam and more discuss the importance of positivity

I started writing songs after my father died when I was 13. I used music to release the sadness that was flooding my heart and held on to my guitar like it was a float in an ocean. As an artist, I've always wanted to provoke chills, because to me that means I've connected with the spirit that's giving me the music.