Upbeat and with an infectious (pardon the pun), care-free melody, the new single from Beth Snapp is her answer to the global pandemic that has held us in its grasp for the last year. ‘Something to Prove’ is consciously full of positivity and hope for a better future and it’s impossible not to smile as you tap your feet along. Writing the song in the midst of a crisis was certainly a challenge as Snapp explains: “It was a process for me and I actually wrote the song before I really ‘got there’. I wanted to share my thoughts about how I hoped to see myself grow, even before I had actually grown… and in fact, before many of us had. I knew my conflicts were pretty universal. It seems almost trite to say that we were all struggling…but hey, that’s what it was. I wanted to capture the process – the initial shock, the resistance to change, the decision to grow and be brave when times are scary, and ultimately the pride that I’d find from doing the best that I could and hopefully coming out of all this a better person. That’s my wish for all of us. That we can battle the hardships and still be proud that we didn’t simply survive…but actually found ways to thrive as well.”
The video cleverly presents the narrative of Snapp’s year. She started out as a musician before taking on essential, frontline work in a local hospital (Ballad Health) as an occupational therapist, before returning to the stage. What a year. The changes are illustrated perfectly when she trades her PPE for performing clothes again. Snapp told AUK about the song and video: “I wanted this video to be partially my 2020 bio and how my life shifted and began to shift back in 2021. More importantly, though, I wanted to pay tribute to the two worlds I’ve been living in that have been hit so tremendously hard: the music business, and healthcare workers (particularly those working in the COVID units). I wanted to send a message to myself, these folks I respect so much, and the general population that things will get better.”
In the seven years since her debut album, ‘That Girl in the Magazine’, Snapp has kept busy with collaborations, performing and a string of critical awards, including being chosen as the winner of 2020 Tennessee Songwriter’s Week Showcase by the Tennessee Department of Tourism and the Bluebird Café. She has worked with the acclaimed bluegrass band Blue Highway and shared stages with the likes of Iris Dement. Her blend of styles – pop, folk, bluegrass – is distinctive and immediately engaging. Backed by an excellent band, including Dave Eggar (cello), Phil Faconti (guitars), Jay Farmer (upright bass) and Noah Denton (drums), Beth Snapp, with her banjolele, manages to pull off a song full of energy and optimism that tackles the challenging subject matter fearlessly. Enjoy.
