Selkie

Blackbriar's song 'Selkie' delves into the haunting and tragic folklore of the selkie, a mythical creature that can transform from a seal to a human by shedding its skin. The narrative begins with a man who becomes infatuated with a selkie woman he sees bathing onshore. Despite his plea for her to stay and become his wife, she declines, explaining that her true home is the ocean. This sets the stage for a tale of unrequited love and obsession.

The man's longing for the selkie woman grows over the years, and when she returns to the shore and sheds her sealskin, he seizes the opportunity to take her skin and force her to stay with him. This act of possession is a metaphor for the destructive nature of trying to control and own another being. The selkie woman, though physically present, leaves her heart in the sea, symbolizing her deep connection to her true home and identity. Eventually, she finds her pelt and returns to the ocean, leaving the man devastated and alone.

The song's climax is both poignant and tragic. The man, unable to comprehend why the selkie left and consumed by his longing, waits in vain to reclaim her pelt. In a final act of despair, he throws himself off a cliff, hoping to join her in the sea. This ending underscores the themes of unattainable love and the destructive consequences of obsession. Blackbriar's ethereal and haunting musical style perfectly complements the melancholic and mystical narrative, creating a powerful and evocative listening experience.