Aurora's single, "Heathens," released the 3rd of December, 2021, as part of her album The Gods We Can Touch, delves into themes of freedom and self-discovery. Inspired by Eve's defiance and Persephone's duality as the queen of the underworld, the song celebrates the beauty of living freely and embracing life's complexities. Through "Heathens," Aurora encourages listeners to explore and accept their inner selves.
This newsletter is a part of the Song Stories I have been written for years now. If you want to, you can find the previous Song Stories here:
About the song
"Heathens" marks AURORA's thirtieth single and serves as the fourth release from her album, *The Gods We Can Touch*. The song was officially released worldwide on the 3rd of December, 2021.1
Speaking about "Heathens", AURORA said:
A long, long time ago, Eve took a bite of a forbidden apple hanging from the tree of evil and good. In her act of doing so, she granted humans free will; I just think that is very beautiful, and I wanted to honour her and women like her, who little by little granted us freedom in this world. A freedom to live as we please, to explore and taste. I think life should be lived in all of its colours, and that is why we live like heathens.2
Reception
Reading through the comments section of the live Vevo version of Heathens is quite nice. There are a lot of general comments about peoples love for all of her music, but there’s a lot specificly directed at this song. Here’s a few:
I dont know why but i got chills and it moved me to tears unexpectedly, the magic of this is otherworldly😭❤️ (@aellefy)
I've listened to this song daily for over 9 months now and it is the best song ever made. It sums everything up. Please always be yourself, Aurora. (@ascendable7065)
I'm glad I went to her concert, hearing this song as the first song to start the concert I couldn't make a sound, I cried so hard. It was beautiful, magical and it will always has a special place in my heart. (@itsmeliza3700)
Aurora also made a track-by-track-talk with Spotify, where she explained the meaning behind each song. Kenzo on YouTube have collected these and compiled them into one video. Here’s what she said about “Heathens”:
"Heathens" is inspired by the queen of the underworld Persephone. She's one of my favorite goddesses and i think she would... yes, a complicated mother because she's a complicated woman with a very complicated story... but i think i like the sentiment in her taking care of all the people that are a bit lost... you know, like a mother for the lost ones.3
Persephone
In advance: I’m sorry for using ChatGPT to write for me. The section about Persphone below is. I haven’t deep dived into the Greek mythology, and it’s too much for me to catch up on to write this newsletter. Anyway - I think it’s quite interesting to read such excerpts of the myths inspiring Aurora - and since she devoted “Heathens” to Persphone, I feel we should know a little about this godess of the underworld:
Persephone
Persephone is a central figure in Greek mythology, renowned as the queen of the underworld and a symbol of the changing seasons. Her story is deeply intertwined with themes of life, death, and rebirth, making her one of the most compelling and complex deities in the ancient Greek pantheon.
Persephone embodies the duality of existence, straddling the line between life and death, innocence and experience. She is often seen as a symbol of transformation and the cyclical nature of life. Her story illustrates the power of love and loss, the inevitability of change, and the enduring bond between mother and child.
In contemporary culture, Persephone continues to inspire artists, writers, and musicians, including AURORA. Her mythological journey resonates with those who explore themes of personal growth, the acceptance of dualities within oneself, and the embracing of life's full spectrum.4
I can only imagine how themes like “personal growth”, “accept dualities within onself” and “embracing life” must ring true to Auroras ears. These themes seems to have enveloped her and her music from the very beginning, and I find it so cool that she stills holds on to such values - both as how she presents herself off and on stage.
Great live performances
Her live performance from VEVO studio is a must-see. I actually enjoy watching her music videos from time to time. It’s so easy to forget the subtle changes there are from one version to another - and these tiny adjustments are really sweet like honey.
Of course, I had to include a recording from audience at Sentrum Scene in Oslo, from her show the 26th of November 2022. I was there! 😍 (not my recording, though)
Here’s another live. This one from the Live at Rough Trade East, London.
'A Touch of Divine'
At the same time as Aurora released “Heathens”, she also revealed the plans for a virtual concert experience titled ‘A Touch of Divine’.5
The performance was to feature songs from her highly anticipated third album, ‘The Gods We Can Touch’, which was set for release via Decca on January 21, 2022.
Reflecting on the event, AURORA said, “It’s rare for me to present the soul of my music like it will be presented in this Moment. It’s going to be so pure. And so wonderful. I’m excited to show my warriors the universe this album is bringing to us. A small touch of the divine.”
This unique one-off event was broadcasted worldwide on the 25th of January, 2022, pulling her fans into the enchanting world of her new album. I will, of course, write you another newsletter about that event 😉.
Credits
Song: Heathens
Composer: Aurora, Magnus, Odd Martin
Producer: Aurora, Magnus
Vocals: Aurora
Piano/Organ: Magnus
Synths: Aurora, Magnus
Drums: Magnus
Percussions: Aurora, Odd Martin, Magnus
Bass: Magnus
Keyboards: -
Strings/Violin/Cello: Magnus
Guitars: Fredrik Svabo, Odd Martin
Programming/Engineer: Magnus
Mixing/Mastering: Magnus
Final words
I must admit, it took me some listenings to appriciate this song. Now, it’s become one of the songs I skip back to the start when it ends. “Just one more time!”, I can say to myself (two or three times 😍😂). Aurora hasn’t spoken too much about it, but I hope the little I have found is interesting enough for you.
Until next time, the 10th of June, I wish you all the best 💚
Have a day
Gard, Fabrice and Rune
Thank you for sharing 💚
AURORA Wiki on FanDom: https://aurora-aksnes.fandom.com/wiki/Heathens
Cerys Kenneally at The Line Of Best Fit. AURORA previews new album with latest single "Heathens": https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/aurora-previews-new-album-with-latest-single-heathens
Kenzo on YouTube, The meaning behind the songs. https://youtu.be/Ej0eA-Fp-p8?t=141
Written by ChatGPT 4o, as an answer to “What can you tell me about Persephone"?”. ChatGPT 4o is cutomized to know that I’m a fan of Aurora.
Ella Kemp at Rolling Stones, Listen to AURORA’s dreamy new single ‘Heathens’: https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/news/aurora-new-single-heathens-listen-7349/