East Coast rocker Andre Pettipas released his "most personal song to date" on Friday, May 9, 2025.
"In memory of my niece, Blake Everleigh who passed away at three months old from SIDS. Gypsophila is my most personal song to date. It took two years after her passing to finally write about it - this is around the same time I got sober, nearly three years ago," Pettipas says.
"Enlisting Jeremy Taggart - Drums (Our Lady Peace) brought me back to the comfort of my youth hearing the Clumsy album for the first time. It helped give me a sense of purpose again. The goal - keeping Blake’s name alive."
SWOMP caught up with Pettipas to discuss the new track.
"Gypsophila is a song about vulnerability and perseverance. Going through a traumatic event like losing an innocent loved one forever changes your trajectory. It alters the way you react, feel and handle even the smallest of interactions. I started a non for profit festival called Giantstock which serves as a yearly celebration and reunion for music supporters and people looking for the value of human connection. Profit from the festival is donated to Baby’s Breath Canada, the only national foundation focused on SIDS," Pettipas added.
"It’s one of those songs that didn’t happen overnight; I needed years to process what had happened before I could begin the healing process and talk about it. When I find myself lost I always go back to Our Lady Peace’s Clumsy album. The memory of hearing this record for the first time will forever be ingrained in my head. This is the moment, at six years old, that I knew I wanted to become a musician - unraveling my purpose in life. Having Jeremy Taggart drumming on this track means the world to me. The way his performance helps paint the picture musically is so important. Music has saved my life in more ways than I can count. It gives me a sense of connection and purpose. Sharing stories and creating memories with like-minded people is more important than I could ever imagine."
Follow Pettipas online at https://www.andrepettipasandthegiants.com/.
Photo Credit: Belinda Naugler AdamsPopular Podcasts
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