By Hunter Craighill

In the wake of losing two family members to addiction over the past year, Amy Allen shared a heartfelt single titled “Heaven” that illustrates the trauma, stress, and pain that comes with drug use. As she demonstrates in this song, the suffering of a drug user is only multiplied in the heartbreak of those closest to them.

Through the simplicity and bluntness of the song and accompanying video, Allen shows that it does not take a lot of sugarcoating to get the point across. She wastes no time getting to that point with the opening and often recurring line “you’ve never been to heaven, but you got pretty close last night,” showing just how serious the consequences of overdosing are. Throughout the song, she cuts straight to the core by artistically emulating the nature of a relationship with a drug user, filling it with hard hitting lines with visceral imagery like “you didn’t answer so i kicked the door down / third times a charm but you won’t make the fourth now.” Every part of the song stresses how every time you flirt with a needle you are gambling with your life, with lines like “you’ll be no exception when the gates open up next time.” She holds nothing back with these direct and straightforward warnings, making sure there is no question about the seriousness of this topic.

It is especially timely that this single is released during the National Suicide Prevention Month as well as National Recovery Month, as the devastating loss to drug use is unfortunately not a story unique to herself. She has been encouraging her fans to donate to the three organizations To Write Love on Her Arms, MusiCares and Friends of Earth in order to combat these issues. In a time when drug use and mental health issues are especially prevalent, Amy Allen’s single “Heaven” is particularly important, aside from being an incredibly beautiful song.