Love and Loss Permeating Gatton's "When Scars Become Art II"

All great artists know that pain and heartache have the potential to become catalysts of beauty and art. Wounds eventually mark the parts of us with the deepest meaning and most profound messages. Our scars are like the unexpected drops on a painting that end up inspiring the most beautiful art. Nashville-based sing-songwriter, Gatton, says it best in his songs “When Scars Become Art” and “When Scars Become Art II” which explore the themes of healing, love, and pain through poignant artistry.

“May my art allow all of life’s juxtaposing concepts to coexist…the love and the loss, the bravery and the fear, the tears and the laughs and the beginnings and the ends,” said Gatton.

Gatton released his newest single “When Scars Become Art II” on April 21st of this year. The song is the successor of “When Scars Become Art”, released in 2018 which quickly became one of his most popular songs after he posted a video of himself singing it on TikTok, reaching over 9 million views.

The differences between “When Scars Become Art” and “When Scars Become Art II” are subtle but impactful. “When Scars Become Art II” takes the same melody, tune, and lyrics from its predecessor, adding beautifully eloquent harmonies featuring Maximillian, emerging R&B-Pop artist. The sounds of birds chirping and water falling are cut in the second rendition of the song. Soft guitar strums replace the piano in the past version, underlying Gatton’s fleshed out, older voice in a way that makes the song feel like wind on a sunny day.

In addition to Gatton’s soft, echoing, effortless voice, the song floats in piercingly poetic lyrics. They chronicle a love story that once healed pain but ends in sorrow, leaving a gaping scar. The romantic chorus evokes the image of a wedding ceremony where Gatton is vowing to love “for good or for bad”. It is a promise and a dream to grow old with the love of his life.

Gatton’s song is not like a rom-com movie with a happy ending; it is a testament true to life, dedicated to honesty. Beauty is often stitched with pain, and Gatton makes no effort to gloss over it. The lyrics, “how will I bear the pain? I guess for now I’ll leave these flowers here at your grave” end the song with a strike to the soul, the devastating heartbreak of a love lost.

Both songs are available on all streaming platforms now.